THE PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY 
OF ADOLESCENCE. 



BY 

E. G. LANCASTER, 

Fellow iu Clark University, Worcester, Mass. 



Approved as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at 

Clark University, Worcester, Mass. f 

G. Stani^ey Hali,. 



Reprinted from the Pedagogical' Seminary, Vol. V, No. 1. 



PRESS OF OLrVER B. WOOD, 



and tu- 

MV sinCt WORCESTER, MASS. 



o^^^j 



Gift 
Caraegie Ingfii, 



THE PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF 
ADOLESCENCE. 



By E. G. Lancaster, Fellow in Clark University. 

Introduction.^ 

Child-study is perhaps the greatest edur^f Honal advance of 
the century and is pregnant with the greatest p^."«'oilities. It 
is now recognized everywhere as fundamentally important in 
all educational work. The study of adolescence begins to 
attract general attention and promises to bring in a new era of 
education in the years between childhood and adult life. If 
possible, it is more important than child-study, because dealing 
with a period fraught with greater dangers and larger possibili- 
ties than any other period of life. The briefest possible resume 
of publications along that line is given here. 

The first publication that the writer has seen appeared in the 
Pri7iceto7i Review, 1882, and later was reprinted in the Peda- 
gogical Seminary, Vol. I, No. 2, by President G. Stanley Hall, 
entitled ' ' The Moral and Religious Training of Children and 
Adolescents. ' ' 

President Hall set forth the rational grounds of all moral and 
religious culture. The infant at first shows its religion in the 
sentiments directed toward the mother. Religious training 
should not be forced in the early years. Gradually obedience, 
truthfulness, love of nature and nature's God lead up to love 
of the Heavenly Father. 

Part II concerns the present study. Dr. Hall says : " Prob- 
ably the most important changes for the educator to study are 

1 Acknowledgments . This study has involved me in deep indebted- 
ness to many people. First of all to Dr. Hall for the subject and 
constant help, and to the Faculty of Clark University and the Univer- 
sity Library. I am also deeply indebted to the Worcester Public 
Library, and the following persons for groups of returns : To Miss 
L. A. Williams and students of the New Jersey Normal, Dr. Richardson 
and students of the Castine (Me.) State Normal; Professor Garman 
and seniors, and Professor Grosvenor, of Amherst College ; Principal 
T. H. Rhodes and students of the Southern Kansas Academy; Dr. O. 
Chrisman and students of Kansas State Normal ; Dr. G. W. A. Luckey 
and students of Nebraska State University ; Mr. Arthur Nutt, Ohio 
State University ; Miss Georgianna Mendum,New York ; Dr. Levermore, 
Adelphi College, Brooklyn; Mrs. J. H. Baird, Poughkeepsie; Principal 
Huse, Provo (Utah) Academy; several students of Clark University, 
and three hundred or more who have sent excellent individual returns. 
Mv sincere thanks are tendered to all. E. G. L. 



2 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

those which begin between the ages of twelve and sixteen and 
are completed only some years later, when the young adolescent 
receives from nature a new capital of energy and altruistic feeling. 
It is a physiological second birth, and success in life depends 
upon the care and wisdom with which this new and final invoice 
of energy is husbanded. " It is a correct instinct that emphasizes 
regeneration. Far more conversions take place during the 
adolescent period, pro rata, than during any other period of 
equal length. 

Before this age the child lives in the- present a selfish, fiSuk, 
obedient, imitative life. l\ow there is a sudden change in body 
and mind. T' ..igs are seen in new relations. Parents lose the 
confidential grip on the youth. Education must be addressed to 
freedom now. Then come longings for sympathy, deep emotions, 
moods, love of solitude, feelings of rivalry, self-sacrifice, etc. 

" It is a period of realization, and hence often of introspection. 
In healthy natures it is the golden age of life." It is a time of 
rapid change and dangers and temptations are great. It is the 
time for the greatest love from the home and the deepest interest 
from the church. It is the first safe time for a change of heart. 
Previous forcing only inoculates against deeper religious interest 
later. The whole period should be one of growth extensively 
and intensively for the best results of religious culture. 

The article contains the germs of the present treatise on 
adolescence. 

"The Study of Adolescence" in the same number of the 
Pedagogical Seminary (Vol. I, No. 2,) is a thorough and far- 
reaching presentation by Dr. Burnham, of Clark University. 
This study, and the above-mentioned by President Hall, have 
furnished the text, if not much of the sermon, for all that the 
present writer has seen on adolescence. 

Dr. Burnham says : "It has been a world-wide custom to 
celebrate the advent of adolescence with feasts, ceremonies and 
mystic rites. Among savages the power unflinchingly to endure 
pain is the usual test of manhood. The breaking out of a tooth, 
the stinging of wasps and ants, tattooing with a sharp stone, 
bleeding, circumcision and the like ' ' are practiced to celebrate 
the advent of puberty. 

"Just as a study of the psychology of childhood is an indis- 
pensable part of the preparation of every teacher in the lower 
grades, so a study of adolescence should form a part of the edu- 
cation of every teacher in the higher institutions. ' ' 

"The subject should be studied scientifically from the 
standpoints of physiology, anthropology, neurology and psy- 
chology." ^ 

*It may be said that this suggestion has been followed. Mr. Yoder, 



PSYCHOI.OGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 3 

Dr. Burnham discussed each of these divisions, bringing to- 
gether much of the valuable data then accessible. He took Clous- 
ton' s definition of puberty as the "initial development of the 
function of reproduction ' ' and adolescence ' ' to denote the whole 
period of twelve 5^ears from the first evolution up to the full per- 
fection of the reproductive energy." Under the physiological, 
Dr. Burnham gave the ordinary physical changes, growth and 
the relation of growth to disease. Under psychological changes 
he discussed at length the mental phenomena of the period. It 
is a time of new sensations, increased psychic manifestations, 
and often a storm and stress period. He cited characters from 
literature who illustrate these phenomena. 

He gave the results of a study of answers to a syllabus, treat- 
ing briefly of dreams, health, dress, conscience, growth and 
the outcrop of ancestral ways at this period. 

The morbid and more serious activities were treated briefly. 
' ' Life for the first time perhaps begins to look serious. The 
young man has come into possession of his inheritance from 
the past." 

Cases were given illustrative of the storm and stress, the 
doubts and intellectual activities of the years i8 to 25. Half 
or more had this emotional stress period. He also showed the 
fact that the period might be repeated in later life. Philosophic 
writings, done by adolescents, as cited by Dr. Burnham, show 
that " the incentive to philosophic thought generally comes at 
adolescence. ' ' 

" Another phase of adolescence is illustrated in the poetry of 
the romantic school. " "In natures where education and hered- 
itary tendencies check emotion's natural outlet in action, emo- 
tion itself becomes the aim of life. Shelley, Byron, Novalis, 
and perhaps both Goethe and Schiller in their younger days, 
are examples. " " It is evident that there is a great evolution 
of energ}' at adolescence that must find outlet in some way." 
"Youth must be given the opportunity to do something." 
' ' The grand pedagogical aim should be to utilize the tempest- 
uous emotions of adolescence. ' ' 

The whole article should be read very carefully by all who 
wish to study this subject. The writer finds it a mine of sug- 
gestion. 

now President of the Vincennes University, has done considerable work 
on the physiological, including the neurological side, the results of 
which are as yet unpublished. 

Mr. Daniels, whose study will be considered below, worked up the 
anthropological side. Mr. Starbuck is making a study of the neuro- 
logical side of adolescence, and the writer attempts to give below some 
of the characteristics of the mental side, with some reference, at least, 
to psychology. 



4 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

The next paper on adolescence appeared in the American 
Journal of Psychology , Vol. VI, No. i, written by Arthur H. 
Daniels, at that time Fellow in Clark University. The title is, 
' ' The New lyife : A Study of Regeneration. ' ' The first part is a 
careful development of the anthropological side of adolescence. 

Mr. Daniels gives a resume of the rites and ceremonies at 
puberty known to have been practiced by various peoples, such 
as circumcision, knocking out the teeth, clipping the hair, tat- 
tooing, fasting, seclusion, change of name, beating and torture 
of the most cruel nature. 

' ' The recognition in so manj^ different ways and by almost 
every race, of the transition from youth to manhood, -has a 
deep psychological as well as physical significance." 

He shows that the taboo which has kept back the needed 
study of this period and a proper understanding of the common 
events in a boy's or girl's life was as barbarous in its origin as it 
now is in its practice. Mr. Daniels says: "Reproductive 
power might be called the ' apperceptive center ' about which 
are clustered the religious thoughts and, indeed, thoughts about 
the most sacred and mysterious things, of many people. " " Co- 
incident with the functioning of new organs, and the develop- 
ment of cerebral centers which have hitherto lain dormant, are 
profound, intellectual and emotional changes." " The activity 
of the organs, which connect the individual with the race, is 
accompanied by powers and instincts which affect his mental 
life in its various aspects and mark the beginning of a new life 
intellectually, morally and emotionally." 

He quotes extensively from Dr. Burnham's article cited 
above to show the awakening of intellectual life at puberty. 

In the second part Mr. Daniels takes up regeneration, or the 
new life of the spirit, as a parallel to the physical changes that 
come at adolescence. ' ' My main thesis is to show that these 
practices, both of civilized and uncivilized people, are founded on 
fundamental, physical and psychological principles, and accord- 
ingly to emphasize not only the fitness, but also the need of the 
spiritual change, which theology has formulated in the doctrine 
of regeneration during adolescent years." 

The author gives a few statistics, not very conclu.sive, to 
prove the statement of President Hall that conversions are most 
frequent in the adolescent period. He discusses the relation 
between morbid religious conditions and immorality, the naive 
religious life that grows up naturally to adolescence when there 
comes a break with the past and there " is need of a new con- 
sciousness of God." From this point the discussion is on the- 
ology rather than adolescence. 

He gives a bibliography of 58 titles, which includes much of 
the literature on the physical side of adolescence. 



PSYCHOI.OGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 5 

" A Study of Conversion," by Mr. Starbuck, Fellow in Clark 
University, appeared in Vol. VIII, No. 2, of the American 
Jotiryial of Psychology . 

The religious element is not by any means characteristic of 
adolescence, but has often been noticed as occurring most fre- 
quently at that time. Mr. Starbuck shows in another paper (at 
this writing not published) that out of many hundreds of cases 
of conversion, the greatest number of cases occurs at about 
sixteen and the average age at nearly the same time. The curve 
rises rapidly from twelve to sixteen and falls quite rapidly from 
sixteen to twenty. 

I quote from Mr. Starbuck a few passages which bear on ad- 
olescence: "The period of adolescence is naturally the time 
for the awakening into the larger life. It begins at puberty. ' ' 
" Many were left out of the study because they had clearly been 
forced into compliance wnth what they were not ready intelli- 
gently to accept. They were pulled green and withered. " "It 
is like pulling away the folds of a growing bud to disturb un- 
duly the tender unfolding of the religious nature." 

"The hardened natures who need the help of violent methods 
for restoration are the last to respond, and meanwhile much 
harm is done to those who are receptive and responsive to finer 
influence. ' ' 

"The higher motives should be appealed to more and the 
lower ones less. It is doubtless entirely out of proportion that 
one-third of the subjective forces present at conversion were 
self-regarding (mostly fears) while the number of distinctly 
altruistic motives ' ' were one-ninth. 

In Vol. IX, 1895, of the Educational Review,"!^. 1356"., ap- 
peared an article by W. B. Jacobs, of Brown University, on 
"Values in Secondary Education." It is a strong attack on 
the Committee of Ten for neglect of adolescent psychology in 
their construction of curricula. He uses the facts given in the 
above noticed articles on adolescence with telling eflfect. He 
shows how adolescence must be studied and understood before 
curricula can be safely laid out, or the question of coeducation 
settled or the question of what is valuable in High School years 
or what is injurious can be determined. 

The study of adolescence has attracted the notice of educa- 
tors as evinced by this article of Jacobs and the following from 
the Report of the Committee of Fifteen, found also in the Report 
of Education, 1893-4, Vol. I, p. 485. 

"The Science of Teaching. 

The elements of this science are : 

I. Psychology in its physiological, apperceptive and ex- 
perimental features. The period of adolescence here assumes 



6 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

the prominence that childhood has in the psychological study 
preparatory to teaching in lower schools. This is the period of 
beginnings, the beginning of a more ambitious and generous 
life, a life having the future wrapped up in it ; a transition 
period of mental storm and stress in which egoism gives way to 
altruism, romance has charm, and the social, moral and relig- 
ious feelings bud and bloom. To guide youth at this formative 
stage, in which an active fermentation occurs, that may give 
wine or vinegar, according to conditions, requires a deep and 
sympathetic nature and that knowledge of the changing life 
which supplies guidance wise and adequate."' 

These suggestions have received far too little notice from teach- 
ers, probably because the psychology of adolescence is not widely 
known, and there is almost no literature on the subject. 

In No. VIII of "Studies in Education," by Earl Barnes, of 
Stanford University, is a short article on "Sex-information" 
with a carefully selected bibliography of the literature intended 
to give such information. It should be consulted for the litera- 
ture on adolescence. In addition to the above there is much 
literature that moralizes on the training of young people and 
freely ' ' sheds advice, ' ' but cannot be recommended for a 
scientific study of this much misunderstood period of life. 

Clouston, in Hack Tuke's Dictionary of Psychological 
Medicine, Vol. I, pp. 360 to 371, gives a general statement of 
the physiological psychology of adolescence from the medical 
standpoint. 

The qualities and characteristics of a human brain are greatly 
different in childhood, puberty, early and later adolescence. 
The brain is liable to different diseases at the.se different stages. 
There is no period of life when uncomplicated insanity occurs 
more frequently than from 21 to 25. 78 per cent, of the cases 
of insanity of adolescence are those of mania, while most of 
the others are melancholia. He discusses the symptoms and 
meaning of disease at this period, the treatment, and the normal 
psychology of adolescence. 

Madden, in Keating's Cyclopedia of the Diseases of Children, 
Vol. I, pp. 389 to 416, gives valuable results of many years of 
study of puberty, the time of its occurrence, and hygienic 
treatment. Ill fed children cannot endure mental strain at this 
period. Female diseases are mostly sown at puberty. Musical 
stimulation several hours a day is doubtful in its moral value. 
He gives rare and precocious cases of puberty. 

There are many articles scattered through medical literature, 
but these are sufficient for an introduction to that literature. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 



CHAPTER I. 

The hope of Truth grows stronger day by day ; 
I hear the soul of Man around me waking 
Like a great sea, its frozen fetters breaking, 
And flinging up to heaven its sunlit spray, 



And every hour new signs of promise tell 
That the great soul shall once again be free, 
For high, and yet more high, the murmurs swell 
Of inward strife for truth and liberty. 

— LowELi/. Sub Pofidere Crescit. 

The growing interest in adolescence is one of the ' ' new signs 
of promise" that a greater freedom, and a love and sympathy 
hitherto unknown, shall become the inheritance of all young 
people. 

Savage tribes have long observed the period as one demand- 
ing special treatment, and enlightened people have expressed 
deep concern for young people at this age, but in both cases 
youth suffer because they have been misunderstood. 

Many of the methods which have been so fruitful in the study 
of the child should be used to mass records, observations and 
data of all kinds regarding the adolescent period. 

To allow young people to express their own feelings and 
opinions, a syllabus on Adolescent Phenomena in Body and 
Mind, prepared by President G. Stanley Hall and the writer, 
was addressed to persons between the ages 12 and 25, and to 
teachers and parents for observations or reminiscences, asking 
for full and free replies. 

They came, evidently from full hearts. 827 have been re- 
ceived, some taking 75 pages of foolscap for one individual 
return. These answers have been grouped and condensed and 
the results will be given, first with little comment, followed by 
a more complete discussion.^ 

For a better presentation the order of the syllabus will be 
changed here. The syllabus will be given one section at a time 
for closer connection with the statements of results. 

I. Physical Changes. 
Physical adolescence begins with puberty, ^ which in turn 

1 A book of these condensed returns may yet appear as a heartfelt 
appeal to parents and educators. 

2 See Bidrent, "La Pubertd," Paris, 1896, pp. 200, with bibliography 
of 65 titles giving physical and medical literature mostly in French. 



8 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

begins with certain internal developments followed by the exter- 
nal phenomena which indicate the advent of puberty. 

Beneke says, ^ that from birth to the end of puberty a com- 
plete conversion of the relation existing between the size of the 
heart and the width of the arterial system of vessels takes place. 
In childhood the heart is relatively small against relatively 
large arteries. It remains much the same till puberty. 

With growth in the length of the body this relation is re- 
versed in consequence of a sudden increase in the amount of 
blood which demands increased work of the heart and therefore 
increases rapidly the size of the heart with a relatively small 
growth of the arteries in cross section. This new relation is 
permanent. 

In childhood the relation of the heart to the arteries is as 25 
to 20. Before puberty this becomes 140 to 50, and in full ma- 
turity 290 to 61. The blood pressure is therefore far lower in 
childhood and very much higher in adolescence. An exception 
occurs in the pressure of blood in the lungs which is slightly 
lower in the adult. The blood pressure is, then, lower while 
the brain is growing and higher after it has reached its maxi- 
mum size. This change of blood pressure is therefore one of 
the first signs of approaching puberty. 

There is a slight increase in the temperature of the body at 
puberty which indicates unusual chemical activity. There is, 
too, an increase of red corpuscles in the blood which makes 
anaemia especially dangerous at this period. 

No one knows as yet what changes occur in the brain. The 
weight has nearly reached its maximum years before. ^ 

It is thought that there is a large increase of association 
fibers and medullation of fibers which shows their maturity. 

Externally there is with girls the periodic sickness as a defi- 
nite sign of puberty, when it occurs normally, followed by rapid 
maturity of the body as a preparation for motherhood. The 
figure rounds out, the bust develops and the bones in the pelvis 
change rapidly. The change in the angle of the vertical axis 
of the pelvis is one of the first developments which, with the 
rapid growth of the hip bones, makes the girl taller about 13 
than the boy, when st=inding. " This affects the length of the 
step and position of the body,"^ and causes an awkward 
movement in walking. Running becomes very difficult. The 
art of graceful walking or running must be acquired anew. 
Ascending stairs becomes especially difficult with girls who are 
best developed. 

1 Ranke, Grundziige der Pysiologie des Menschen, S. 491 £f. 

2 Donaldson, " Growth of the Brain." 

3 See Dornbliith, "Die Gesundheitspflege der Schuljugend," pp. 
145-154- 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 9 

Growth of the thigh bones may be so rapid at this period, with 
both sexes, that the muscles cannot keep pace with them and 
the result is a stretching of the muscles, causing ' ' growing 
pains." These are often severe. The returns show this 
phenomenon only with boys. It doubtless may exist in both 
sexes. On the other hand, the muscular system may grow 
faster than the bones and the boy becomes clumsy. He cannot 
control his movements easily and runs against everything, drops 
whatever he touches and tumbles over it in tr^dng to pick it up. 

For exact data the following questions were asked -in the 
syllabus. 341 males and 446 females answered part or all of it. 

Growth generally. When was growth in height or weight greatest? 
Was this period of growth attended by better or deranged health? 
Give any details; as to how much, where, how long, etc. 

187 persons answered this section of the syllabus. Of these 
139 — 48 M., 91 F., said that they grew most rapidly in height 
jUst after puberty, while 48 — 10 M., 38 F., grew at or before 
puberty, or were indefinite in answer. 

These answers brought out clearly a relation between growth 
and health not mentioned before. 133 of these report health 
better or undisturbed b}^ the rapid growth and advent of pu- 
berty. 38 report health poor and 3 report great weakness. The 
rest of the 187 are not definite. It will be noticed that these 
numbers correspond roughly to the numbers who grew after and 
before puberty. 

A careful study of this point, based on these returns, indicates 
that the period of most rapid growth in height aijd weight comes 
normally after puberty. If this rapid growth comes before 
puberty, health may be endangered while growing or at puberty 
or at both times. 

The figures are certainly significant. 

Most rapid growth at or before puberty and health good, 2 
M., 10 F. 

Most rapid growth at or before puberty and health poor, 3 
M., 36 F. ' 

Most rapid growth after puberty and health poor, i M., 11 F. 

Most rapid growth after puberty and health good or improved, 
17 M., 80 F. 

Thus 8 to I have good health at time of growth and puberty 
if the rapid growth is after puberty, while over 3 to i have 
poor health if the rapid growth comes at or before puberty. 
This, of course, does not mean that for a year or two before 
puberty there may not be an accelerated growth without danger, 
but to shoot up to nearly the full stature as they often do safely 
after puberty, is dangerous before puberty. 

Taking the number that report the time of the most rapid 



lO PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

growth by years, the years range from 9 to 19, with the follow- 
ing number of cases reporting for each year, respectively : F. , 5, 
II, 17, 41, 45, 57, 51, 29, 10, 6, 3. That is, 5 at 9, 11 at 10, 

17 at II, 41 at 12, etc. 

The curve would thus culminate at the age of 14, which is 
very similar to the curve of Key. The curve for boys culmi- 
nates at 15 to 16. 

In weight the greatest growth in any one year is reported for 
the years 10 to 23 respectively, as follows : F., 2, 4, 14, 13, 15, 

18, 24, 35, 13, 8, 6, 4, 2, I. 

The curve of growth in weight culminates two or three 3'ears 
after the curve of growth in height. With boys the growth 
in height was greatest at 15 and 16, in weight at 16, 17 and 18. 
The number of boys answering this question is too small to be 
very significant. 

According to Key's law, the period of maximum growth is 
the period of maximum power to resist disease. 

These returns show that extreme growth in height at any 
time is likely to be accompanied by ill health or great weakness. 
This liability is less if there is a good increase of weight at the 
same time. Growth in weight after puberty is generally ac- 
companied by good health. A large and rapid increase of 
weight before puberty is likely to be accompanied with ill 
health. 

This relation of growth to health, as pointed out by Key and 
others, shows the relation of growth to chronic diseases. It 
does not follow that growth may not be accompanied by weak- 
ness or deranged health which may render good work in school 
or elsewhere almost impossible. 

Space will allow only a few typical returns on each section 
selected from a very large number. 

M., 32. At 15 I had to leave school, owing to a peculiar sickness 
incident to growth. My muscles felt stretched, not long enough 
for the bones. One time I walked two blocks and absolutely could 
not walk any farther. Quit going to school for a time. 

M., 18. Health very good. Dream less and sleep better. Grew 
rapidly 14 to 16. Troubled by growing pains. Grew in weight 12 to 

18 from 98 to 180 lbs. 

F., 18. Growth in height was greatest at 14, and in weight at 12. 
Health was most deranged. Puberty at 12 years and 8 months. 

F., 20. Grew tall fastest 9 to 14. Health not so good at this time. 
Puberty 14 years and 9 months. Health now very good. 

F., 17. Grew most rapidly 11 to 13 in height and weight. Head and 
stomach trouble. Puberty 12.6. 

F., 20. I grew the fastest about 15. Greatest increase in weight at 

19. Health better then. Health poor during adolescence. Nervous 
and stomach trouble. Puberty at 15 years and 10 months. 

F., 17. Grew in height 12 to 14. Weight 14 to 16. Indigestion and 
stomach trouble, though general health good. Puberty at 13 years 
and 9 months. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. II 

M., i8. At 15 I was medium height and weighed no lbs. Now at 
18 I am 6 feet and weigh 170 lbs. Puberty at 14. Health good. 

F., 19. Until 15 I was a somnambulist, since then restless. I had 
dyspepsia for a long time. Have outgrown it. At times have been 
more nervous since 12. Growth in height greatest at 14. In weight 
17 to 18. Growth in height accompanied by deranged laealth, and I 
continued in poor health till I grew stouter. 

F., 21. Greatest growth in height 16 to 19. I was not so well while 
growing. Was very small at 16 and grew rapidl)^ Grew in weight at 
18. Puberty at 15. 

M., 21. Health was not so good. Nerves and stomach. In 12 
months, from 16 to 17, I grew 12 inches. Health not so good that year. 
Later I grew stronger all over. (Another exactly duplicates this 
growth, with weakness, but good health.) 

F., 18. Grew most 12 to 14. I grew tall and thin and felt weak. 
Health not so good while growing so fast. Puberty at 13 years and 4 
months. 

F. I seem now a bundle of quivering nerves, I never get rested. 
Greatest growth 10 to 12 in height, in weight 15 to 20. Health not so 
good. Puberty at 15 years and 3 mouths. 

F., 16. At 13 my nerves were affected very badly. Could not attend 
church for some time or recite in school. Grew in height 13 to 15, 
weight 15 to 16. Health poorer 13 to 16. Puberty at 13 years and 9 
months. 

F., 19. I grew rapidly from 13 to 16. It took all my strength and I 
was tired all the time. Could not get rested. Gained weight at 18. 
Health better at that time. 

F., 19. At 13 not expected to live from chorea. After recovering 
from that I suffered from sick-headaches. They are becoming less 
frequent Grew most rapidly 10 to 14, attended by poorer health. 
Puberty at 14. 

F., 17. Eyes, nerves, head and stomach affected. Appetite not so 
good. Sleep better. Grew most in height 12 to 13, in weight 14 to 17. 
When growing in weight my health was not so good. Puberty at 15 
years and i month. 

F., 19. Have been very nervous since 12. Puberty at 14. Grew 
most 12 to 15. Health was much poorer. Back troubled me. Was 
sick in bed for a long time at 14. 

F., 26. As a child was small and delicate, grew stronger. Increase 
in height at 13, in weight at 17. Period of rapid growth attended by 
poor health. I was weak, suffered with severe pains in head, back and 
legs. Puberty 11.5. 

F., 32. Growth in both height and weight was greatest from 16 to 
18. Health better at that time. 

F., 18. From 15 to 17 I secured my greatest growth, which was at- 
tended by poor health, especially being very weak and tired. Puberty 
16 years and 2 months. 

F., 17. Grew fastest 10 to 12 and it was attended by poorer health. 

F. My greatest growth was at 16. I had a long illness of over 21 
weeks. When I was taken ill I was small, thin and short. After it I 
was as tall as I am at present, 5 ft. and 4 inches. Of course I was very 
thin and frail but I soon filled out and weighed 115 lbs. The first signs 
of puberty came at 17. It was after that long illness. 

General Health, then and now. If imperfect, how, respecting eyes, 
nerves, head, stomach, etc.? Was sleep or dreams, or appetite for 
food affected ? 

There were 355 answers to this section. 255 — 105 M., 150 F., 



12 PSYCHOI.OGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

report good or better health 12 to 20. 100 — 32 M., 68 F., report 
poorer health. 

The nervous troubles that may develop and the special dis- 
eases of adolescence have received careful attention.^ 

The following list of diseases reported to have been outgrown 
is a long one and admitting mistaken diagnosis is very hopeful 
and valuable. Curvature of the spine, i F. ; biliousness, i M., 
I F. ; bad dreams, 3 M. , 8 F. ; eye trouble, 3 M., 2 F. ; 2 cases 
laid aside spectacles ; chorea, 2 F. ; gout, i F. ; heart trouble, i 
F. ; headache, 3 M., 8 F. ; nervousness, 2 M., 3 F. ; stomach 
trouble, 3M., 4F. ; rheumatism, i F. ; chronic sore throat, i F. ; 
insomnia, 6 F. ; Bright's disease, 2 M., 2 F. ; consumption, i F. 

On the other side the following diseases developed, as reported 
in the returns. Spinal trouble, 3 F. ; rheumatism, i F. ; heart 
trouble, 2 F. ; stomach trouble, 3 M., 15 F.; headache, 3 M., 
19 F. ; bad eyes, 4 M., 19 F. ; nervousness, i M., 18 F.; bad 
dreams, i M. , 9 F. The cases of Bright's disease were perhaps 
not genuine yet good physicians pronounced them so. Albu- 
men often occurs in the urine in large quantities and may be 
mistaken for other difficulties though there may be no deep- 
seated disease. 

The case of consumption is a remarkable one, of a girl in a 
wealthy family, pronounced by the best specialists in New York 
City to be beyond the hope of recovery. She went to a faith- 
cure doctor and fully recovered. The case is perfectly authen- 
tic and the parties are well known. The excitement and partial 
convulsion at the time of treatment, and her own faith, might 
have set free processes hitherto checked from development and 
the recovery came as a matter of rapid growth. 

These cases show probably that experts may be mistaken in 
adolescent symptoms of disease and that the life forces will often 
push up and surmount the most alarming obstacles. It will be 
noticed how the appetite changes. 91 mention it. There is a 
physiological reason for it in the new growth and new demands 
from the system. It shows that the adolescent needs a large 
variety of food. It is painful to notice how many suffer terrible 
headaches from defective eyes and only find it out in the last 
years of school. It is a great cause of suffering and often pre- 
vents all school work. 

A few cases will suffice to show the character of the returns 
on health. 

F., 26. General health always poor. I never had but one full year 
of school (because of health). I found out this winter that my eyes 
made my headaches and glasses have cured them. The doctor says I 
should have worn them since I had the measles at 12. 

' See Clouston, " Mental Diseases," and '• Neuroses of Development." 
Also Langdon Down, " Mental Affections of Childhood and Youth." 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 1 3 

F., 23. I had headaches caused by my eyes. Was very nervous. 
Nervousness increased the last year at school and I began to have 
hysterical attacks, laughing and crying without cause. These lasted 
over a year. Glasses corrected this very much. 

F., 20. Health is not so good. Eyes, nerves, head and back. Got 
my growth at 13. Growth in height was accompanied by poor health. 
Puberty at about 14. 

F., 30. I was thought delicate in early childhood, but at 14 I was 
robust, and at 20 hardly knew what pain or sickness meant. 

F., 17. I was sick very much before 12. Had bronchitis and pleu- 
risy for a whole year. Nervous at 13. Since then health good. 

F., 20. Had gout at 15. Double curvature of the spine at 16. I was 
treated for it and cured. The right leg suddenly became much shorter 
than the other. I wore a high shoe for two and a half years. My back 
is straight but weak. My leg is all right but ej'es trouble me. Until 19 
I always had horrible dreams. I was going somewhere naked, or I 
dreamed of worms or dead persons. Now I dream of people I love. 

F., 19. From 2 to 10 puny and lived wholly on milk. 10 to 16 appe- 
tite and health good. Since then I have had spells of nervousness and 
indigestion. 

F., 19. Very small and nervous as a child. Health better since the 
beginning of this period. Outgrown sick headaches, etc. 

M., 16. From 12 to 15 I suffered from headache and deranged 
stomach. Health not good. It is better now and I am growing fastest 
of my life. Puberty at 15. 

F., 24. At the age of twelve had very poor health. From that time 
on I improved and since 15 have had perfect health. 

F., 18. As a child always sick. At 12 I became a new person. 

F., 18. Health much improved. Had weak eyes, now cured. 

F., 19. Health better since puberty. I dream more but appetite 
much better. Grew tall fastest 11 to 13. Health very poor then. Had 
chorea at that time. Puberty at 13. 

M., 18. Health good. My dreams as a child were horrible, such as 
falling from the sky down some deep chasm or chased by some animal. 
My appetite has undergone a great change. I like what I formerly 
disliked generally. 

F., 17. Grew most rapidly from 12 to 14 in height and weight. 
This was a time of better health. My eyes grew stronger, I slept 
better, ate more, took more exercise out of doors and went to school 
regularly, while before I was at home a third of the time. 

F., 19. When a child I was fond of all sweet things. Have changed 
and now I am fond of pure lemon juice. 

F., 17. Health has been good for the past four years. Appetite 
changeable and I dream horridly. 

F., 24. From 15 to 20 I had a strong repulsion to meat in any form. 

M., 20. Health good but appetite changed. Things I used to like 
I cannot eat now. 

F., 22. Since 12 I cannot eat turnip, cabbage, parsnips or bear the 
sight of apples or pears, of which I was very fond as a child at 6 or 8. 

The question concerning changes in strength, activity and 
functions was not answered so definitely as some of the questions, 
but brought out two things clearly. One, everybody perhaps 
knows, that the muscles grow large first and strength comes 
later. The boy of 16 or 17, though equal in weight and all 
measurements of muscles to his brother of 20 or 21, is no match 
for him in a hard contest. Work and activity may be 



14 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCK. 

demanded of a full-grown boy of 15 to 17 that should not be 
expected of him, and in fact which he cannot do without injury, 
since he lacks the strength he seems to have, or might be thought 
to have, from his size. The other point was the intense interest 
that girls take in gymnastics, judging from their own free state- 
ments. Anthropometrical statistics are now gathered so care- 
fully in colleges for both sexes that farther study of this point 
can easily be made from these records. 

F., 17. I want exercise. If I have it I feel as though I had made 
myself so much stronger and can work with a much better spirit. 

M., 21. Increased in total strength by anthropometrical measure- 
ments from 417 Freshman year to 736 Senior year. Especial increase 
in arms, legs and lungs. That is, strength almost doubled from 17 
to 21. 

F., 19. I enjoy athletic games and out-of-door sports much more, 
and my love for work has increased, especially active work. 

M., 26. From 13 to 16 I was most enthusiastic in athletic sports. 
Made sleds, coasted on a scooter, made snow-shoes, made other imple- 
ments that took days of time, hunted, swam, gathered birds' eggs, 
played base ball, foot-ball, wrestled on stilts, captured and tamed 
flying, red, and ground squirrels. Played chess all the time for a while. 
All this with an enthusiasm unknown before or since. 

F., 17. I have gained great strength in my shoulders and forearm 
in the last five years. I am fond of all kinds of sports, such as swim- 
ming, rowing, dancing. 

F., 17. I am much stronger in all parts of my body. I play tennis 
and basket ball a great deal. 

Changes of Form and Feature. Did chin, nose, cheek-bone, brow, 
chest, hair, and other features change, and how? Was there a different 
facial expression ? New resemblances ? To whom? 

There were 204 returns. 194 — 43 M., 151 F., gave changes 
of features. 10 said no change. Change of features is so 
common as the boy takes on the features of the man or the girl 
those of the woman that little is thought of it. There is a 
deep significance, however, underlying this change. The ques- 
tion of heredity is involved. In many cases there is a reversal 
of the type, the child showing at first the features and activities 
of one side of the house and later those of the other. ^ 

In all the many details of child-study there seems to be no 
notice of the fact that the growing child passes ancestral stages 
of inherited physical features. A boy of 7 illustrates the point. 
As a babe he looked like his mother. At 2 to 3 he was the 
childish image of her mother, while in the way he stood and in 
a peculiarity of falling he showed their traits. Since 5 or 6 he 
has grown to look very much as his father did at that age, and 
a photograph of the father taken when he was 7 is a good like- 

^ On change of features see "West, "The Growth of the Breadth of 
the Face." Science, Vol. XVIII, p. lo-ii. Also "Growth of the 
Body, Head and Face," (West) Science, Vol. XXI, p. 2-4. See Cope, 
" Origin of the Fittest," pp. 281-293. 



PSYCHOI.OGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 1 5 

ness of the boy at 7. He now walks and acts like his father. 
He will undoubtedly look like the father and the father's family. 
The explanation is this. Coming from the ancestral stocks on 
both sides are prepotencies which tend to reproduce their own 
types. The child of two strongly contrasted nationalities or 
families may not look like either or may follow one type or the 
other very closely. 

The maternal type has certain prepotencies which struggle 
to maintain themselves. If they conquer before birth or from 
the start the child will resemble the mother. The same is true 
of the father. Now if they are closely matched in power there 
may be a destruction of both types beyond recognition or one 
may lead till the force of its prepotencies is exhausted, when 
the other, having gained strength because kept in the back- 
ground, comes forward, perhaps to lead and decide the final 
type of features. 

This final struggle and opportunity to establish the type comes 
at adolescence. A discussion of the meaning of this change of 
features will be given in the conclusion. 

151 report a change of features to new resemblances. 20 M., 
33 F., come to look like father, and 15 more girls develop feat- 
ures like a paternal uncle, aunt or grandfather. 83 — 8 M., 58 
F. , came to look like the mother, plus 14 F. , who look like mater- 
nal aunt, grandmother, cousin or uncle. 

M., 18. My chin has become more angular, cheek bones more prom- 
inent, brow not so smooth, chest increased, hair darker, nose sharp and 
prominent. As a boy I looked like my father but now more and more 
like my mother. 

F., 19. Chin and cheek bones more prominent. Forehead fuller, 
hair darker, expression firm instead of babyish. I used to look like 
papa but now I look like mamma. 

F., 18. My chin was sharp till 16 when it grew rounder. Nose same, 
cheek bones not so high, hair darker. I used to look like papa now 
like mamma. A stranger knew me lately for I looked so much like my 
mother to her. 

F., 20. M)'^ face has changed from a round to an oval. Nose does 
not turn up so much, hair not so low on the forehead. As a child I 
looked like my father but now like my mother. 

F., 22. My features have changed very much. I used to have a 
long, narrow face and every one said I resembled my mother. Now 
my face is round and all say I resemble my father. 

F., 20. Formerly I resembled my father. Then I came to resemble 
my mother, who has an entirely different form of face. 

F., 18. Chin longer, nose does not turn up as much, cheek bones 
more prominent, hair darker, look more like father. 

F., 18. Features have changed a good deal. Nose from almost a pug 
has become a slight Roman. Did look like my father now like my 
mother. 

F., 23. In appearance I have changed remarkably. One side of my 
face is now very much like my mother's while the other side is strongly 
like my father's. In form and build I am more like my father's mother 
and his family. 



1 6 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

F., 17. Since 15 have resembled my mother, before that looked like 
no one in the family. 

F., 18. My nose became higher on the bridge. My cheek bones 
more prominent, brow furrowed, hair darker, upper teeth larger and 
more prominent. Changed from resembling my father to a cousin on 
my mother's side. 

M., 21. I am coming to resemble my father in every way of man- 
ner, form and feature. 

F., 17. As a child was the image of my father. At 12 I began to 
look like my mother. The resemblance was the cause of frequent 
remark. 

F., 19. My chin has become more pointed, nose has changed to a 
Roman nose, my cheek bones are more prominent, brow more convex 
and whole facial expression has changed. Have come to resemble my 
father. 

F., 18. Chin longer and broader, nose was flat but now thin and 
pointed, brow broader, chest fuller and higher, hair darker, eyes 
lighter. I have changed to look like my mother and her brother. 
When a child all my features except my eyes were like my father's. 

Closely allied to change of features is the cropping out of 
ancestral traits. Many returns show that where the features 
are reported as changing to resetuble those of either parent or 
family there were traits developed like that side of the house. 
The question on ancestral traits was a minor one at the close of 
the long syllabus and not answered by many. Those received 
are suggestive of a wealth of material that may be collected 
along that line of research. A few cases will show the character 
of those returns. Over 50 were received. 

F., 18. I have become more dreamy and have a habit of biting 
my finger nails as my mother, grandmother and two cousins do. 

F., 17. Have many traits like father and grandfather. 

F., 17. Given to day-dreams and have traits like my father. (She 
is one who spoke of features changing to look like her father.) 

F., 18. Came to look like her father. Developed many traits like 
her father's family. 

F., 18. From a little child she unconsciously added " e " to certain 
words, and was always obliged to overlook her writing to erase the 
unnecessary letter. This was exactly her maternal grandmother's 
experience in her girlhood, a trick which neither of them overcame 
till adult life. 

F., 19. Ancestral traits have appeared. In my manner when angry, 
in keeping family relics and tracing family pedigree I am like father. 
I am also a vegetarian as he is. 

F., 18. I am stubborn and willful like my Scotch ancestors. 

M., 13, 17, and 24. (Reported by the mother.) There is a very de- 
cided outcrop of ancestral ways in each of these boys — physical pecu- 
liarities from their father's side as regards a tendency to nervous dys- 
pepsia, voice, gesture, gait, etc. The youngest son is a second edition 
of his father. The boys have the same difficulty over spelling the 
same words that their father puzzled over, and even to this day mis- 
spells in hurried writing. Our oldest boy when small would, on going 
about, feel impelled to retrace his exact steps and return to the spot 
from which he had started even when in haste to reach his destination. 
This little trick was forgotten by 13. It belonged to the paternal 
grandmother and maternal uncle. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 1 7 

One question of the syllabus asked for changes of voice and 
coincident details. 1 1 1 persons gave definite answers. 103 — 43 
M., 60 F., said the voice changed and gave details. 8 — 2 M., 
6 F. , said there was no change. Careless observers have not 
noticed the change of voice in girls, but it is quite as real as in 
boys. A girl's voice grows richer in tone but loses that quality 
in later life. The age at which the change of voice is reported 
by girls ranges from 12 to 17 as follows: i, 13, 18, 11, 4, 2. 
That is, the most frequent years are 13, 14 and 15. The curve 
culminates a half year later than the curve for the time of 
puberty. 

The age at which the voice changed in boys is reported from 
12 to 18, with these numbers for each year, respectively, 6, 7, 
8, 13, 10, 2, I. 

The largest number occurs thus at 14. 15 and 16. This 
is very near to the time given for puberty in the returns 
of boys. Since both are due to physical growth and are defi- 
nite signs of physical maturity, they might be expected to fall 
near together. There was almost no one who reported any 
definite treatment of the voice during the period of change. 

F., 18. Voice changed at 15. At first I could sing lower, then higher 
and finally only medium in height. 

F., 16. Voice changed at 13. Became deeper and softer. No training. 

F., 17. Voice changed at 13. Much lower in tone. Unable to sing 
and stopped. 

M., 17. Voice began to change at 15. At a certain key it would 
break into a deeper pitch. No treatment. Fully settled at 16. 

F., 18. Voice became stronger and deeper at 13, sweeter at 16. 

M., 21. I sang tenor at 14. At 15 my voice was broken and I could 
not sing at all. It slowly developed into a deep'^hass^ 

F., 18. Voice changed at 12. It became squeaky and variable, 
then deep and I sang bass with the boys and about ruined it. 

F., 17. Voice changed at 15. Was squeaky and odd. 

F., 20. At 12 my voice would crack if I attempted to sing high. I 
gave up siugiug entirely. My voice is now lower in compass. 

F., 20. My voice began to change at 14. I was treated by an Italian 
music teacher who gave me exercises in breathing. 

F., 18. Voice changed at 13. Began in the upper register and went 
downward. Vocal training was kept up but the voice was not strained. 
The change lasted two years. 

Another question asked for the age of the first signs of 
puberty with coincident physical and mental changes. This 
cannot so easily be determined in males but the answers were 
given with a wholesome frankness which shows that the taboo 
is off with people of good sense. False modesty about vital 
matters is fast going out of fashion as these replies indicate. 
133 — 35 M., 78 F. , answered the question. The girls gave the 
time of the first menses and the boys gave various indications 
that seemed to be conclusive. 

The ages for males range from 12 to 18, as follows: 3, 8, 22, 



1 8 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

13, 8, o, I. The average is 14.3 years. The largest number 
at 14. The girls range from 10 to 19. The number at each 
year was as follows : 2, 4, 8, 23, 22, 13, 4, i, o, i, 13 and 14 
have by far the largest number. The average is 13.6. These 
make a small contribution to the number of American cases 
previously reported. Roberts ^ finds 14.8 years as the average 
age of puberty of 575 American girls. 

Dr. Kennedy ^ gives 13.7 years in the case of 125 American 
girls. Since the time of puberty varies with races who congre- 
gate in certain localities and is earlier in cities, the time varies 
for different places but the average is not far from 14. 

The time of puberty for boys is usually given as about two 
years later than that of girls. The evidence so far received 
from comparative biology and from anthropology does not seem 
to me to justify this inference. These returns show about 
half a year's difference.^ 

In larger animals the male gains the reproductory function 
before the female, usually. With men the power of reproduction 
ma}^ exist some years before it is known. The signs of puberty 
given by males in these returns indicate full maturity at 14.3 
years. Details cannot be given here but indicate that the re- 
productory function is present before discovered. Bierent thinks 
that nubility follows soon after pubert)'. 

F., 22. Puberty at 19. I had reached my full height but was slen- 
der and unshaped. My skin was much broken out. After this I grew 
stouter, skin cleared up and bust developed. 

F., 17. Puberty at 13. Modest, and blushed at everything. More 
nervous and timid. 

F., 17. I experienced the first signs of puberty at II. I was ashamed 
to go on the street for I thought every one would know about it. I 
asked my mother if people could not tell by my movements. I refused 
to go anywhere in this condition. I was much frightened the first 
time and did not tell my mother. It was several days before she found 
it out. I was ashamed to tell her. (Several cases like this.) 

F., 24. Puberty at 12. At first a feeling of rebellion and then of re- 
sponsibility. I felt older at first, — it wore off. 

M., 26. Emissions began at 12. 

F., 17. Puberty at 14. My form rounded out, complexion cleared, 
general health improved. I had a greater feeling of modesty and was 
somewhat nervous. 

M., 27. Puberty came at 14. The whole time to 20 was a nervous 
and unstable period. 

M. My first signs of puberty were dreams and phenomena in sleep 
two or three years before any marked external changes. 

M. Was surprised at 14 by copious emissions. 

F., 18. Puberty at 14.5. I changed in form, features, strength, 
appetite and health. Became more modest in my plays at school. 

1 "Physical Maturity of Women." 

2 Helen P. Kennedy, M. D., Pedagogicai. Seminary, June, 1896. 

•* See Bierent, "La Puberte," pp. 21-70, for good discussion of the 
time of puberty and nubility. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 1 9 

Nervousness and blushing accompanied the change. I think I am less 
bashful. 

M. Puberty at 14. Growth of pubic hair and organs. L,ater hair 
under the arms, and beard. More modest and nervous. 

II. Mental Changes. 

Senses and Thought. Are the senses keener, wider ranged ? More 
engrossing ? Is there a change from sense to thought ; from the present 
to the future ; the near to the far? What new ideals, abstract or per- 
sonal ? 

225 returns to this section were received. 197—59 M., 138 
F., say the senses are keener and wider ranged. 28 — 9 M., 19 
F., think the senses are not keener, or are not certain about it. 
The first thought was that the apperception becoming wider 
ranged made the senses seem keener, as in the case of one girl 
who heard the church bell three miles away for the first time at 
13 and since then almost every Sunday. 

There is reason to think that the sense of touch is keener, 
since sex and touch are closely related. All of the other senses 
are modifications of the sense of touch. Czermak^ following 
Weber concludes that children have a more acute space-sense 
than grown people since the sensory circles are smaller in chil- 
dren. Wundt^ assumes it as proved that the sensor}' circles are 
smaller in children, but remarks that the number of nerve fibers 
does not change much, so that as the surface of the body in- 
creases in size the sensory circles must be larger to include the 
same number. Czermak's conclusion that children have a 
keener sense of touch is therefore not proved. 

There may be an emotional accompaniment in adolescence 
which produces a keener efiect from the same stimulus and thus 
amounts to a keener sense. 

A few give experimental data on which they base the con- 
clusion that the senses are keener. There are no data which 
cover a long period of years with the same individuals. 

It is a matter of common observation that women depend 
much on the feeling of the hand of the persons to whom they 
are introduced to tell whether they like them or not. This use 
of touch is a racial development that has played an important 
role in history. We may trace some of our likes or dislikes to 
this cause. 

Whatever appeals to the senses at this period passes over into 
meditation as never before. The life up to this point has been 
spent in the realm of the senses. It now awakens to a world 
of thought. The change may be very sudden and definitely 
marked. Thought in childhood deals more with isolated objects. 

1 Schriften I, i. p. 305. 

^ Physiologische Psychologie II, p. 15 d. 



20 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

In adolescence there is grouping of ideas and combinations 
never experienced before. Many of those sending returns say 
that life has a new meaning since they discovered the new re- 
lations of things. 

F., 21. Everything in nature took on a new aspect of beauty at this 
time and appealed deeply to the senses of sight, sound and smell. 

M., 19. Senses are much keener. Eyesight was keenest at 13 as 
tested by seeing a steeple in the distance. When I am alone my 
thoughts always go on to the future. 

M., 19. Senses are keener, for I can see quicker and farther, smell 
very acutely and my skin is much more sensitive. 

M., 18. My senses are keener, at least I can detect by smell any of 
the flowers I cultivate. My taste is also keener. Other senses I am 
not sure of. 

F., 20. Senses are keener. I know that touch, temperature and 
pressure are keener. This by experiment. Can detect difference in 
pitch that I could not at one time. Smell and taste are "archaic" 
and not so keen. Sight keener. I see things that I did not notice 
before. 

F., 17. Senses are keener. I see around me many things that I 
never did before. I take in and appreciate much more. These sensa- 
tions cause much more thought. 

F., 20. Senses are keener and more engrossing. A change from 
sense to thought. A simple thing will start off a train of thought. 

M., 22. Thoughts changed from the near to the far, and to ideals and 
hero-worship. 

F., 17. Senses are keener. Now I always hear the chimes three 
miles away that I never heard as a child. Touch is keener. I notice 
if a person's hand is smooth or rough when shaking hands. 

172 answered the question regarding ideals. 165 — 77 M., 88 
F., have had ideals, against 7 who say they never had ideals. 
These are probably mistaken as to the meaning or have forgot- 
ten, for "without an ideal man is no longer man." Early 
adolescence is the special time for the beginning of ideals. 
They change frequently. One's stage of development can be 
marked quite accurately by his ideal. The manners and ways 
of speaking, walking and dressing indicate closely the ideal 
that the boy or girl is following. Arrest in crude stages is 
unfortunate and frequent, judging from common observation. 

F., 20. My ideal now is a strong character, self-reliant, courageous 
and sincere, who lives the true Christian life. 

F., 40. At 12 I wanted to sing like Jennie Lind. 

F., 33. A philanthropic ideal was developed at this time. It was 
suggested by a book on work among the poor. It became a waking 
dream in which I indulged every night before sleeping, forcing my 
eyes to remain open, although they ached from sleepiness. This ideal, 
then implanted, has never been eradicated. 

F., 17. See less, hear more, live more in the future. Had imaginary 
ideals. First one was tall, slender, light curly hair, blue eyes, pink- 
and-white complexion, small hands and feet, dainty clothing with 
much pale blue about it, pretty dancer and graceful manner. Did not 
care what she had in her head. Now my ideal is an intellectual woman, 
unmarried, sympathetic, showing her brilliancy on occasion. The 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 21 

steadfast, true, loving friend. A Christian, a musician, a writer, a 
housekeeper, a reader, an artist, a singer, a teacher. I care not how 
she dresses. She should have expressive eyes, dark hair and good 
features. One who is purified by trial and loses sight of self in others. 

F., 19. I have two ideals, one real and one abstract. 

M., 19. At 14 my ideal was to tend a soda fountain. At 16, for a 
year my ideal was to be a lecturer. I liked the idea of travelling and 
the importance of it. 

M., 20. I have hadrnany different ideals, first statesmanship, then 
the ministry, and now teaching. 

F. Had an ideal. Did not try to be like my ideal but to seem like 
it to others. 

F., 17. My ideal is a beautiful Christian character. 

M., 18. A few years ago I wanted to be a pugilist and all-around- 
sport. Now I want to be a lawyer and orator. 

M. I made heroes (ideals) of mj' older male friends. 

F., 19. My ideals have been Washington, Savanarola, Socrates and 
the stoics. 

M., 26. Had ideals at this age. Cfesar 8 to 11, then Webster, after 
conversion at 12, Beecher was my model. I intended to be a greater 
man than either. At 15 my ideal was an imaginary citizen of the 
universe. 

Ideals awaken longings to be like the ideal. One of the 
characteristic features of adolescence is the deep longing. In 
slightly morbid cases like Marie BashkirtseflF, we get the full 
significance of it. She wanted to be "Caesar, Augustus, Mar- 
cus Aurelius, Nero, Caracalla, Satan, the Pope, or all of them 
at once. ' ' 

Here are some healthy cases. 

F., 23. At 12 I began to quiet down. I shrank into myself, began 
to have day-dreams, was often lost in thought, that, although innocent 
in itself, I was ashamed to tell. 

M., 25. Air-castles of all sorts, kinds and descriptions were dwelt 
upon. 

F., 32. Longed for wealth and fame. 

F., 18. I had a great longing to do right and to be well thought of. 

F., 17. I dreamed of happiness caused by money, which I used to 
gain the title of philanthropist. 

M., 21. I longed for and dreamed of unheard-of things. 

F., 19. I have had deep reveries and longing. I often think how 
happy I should be if I could excel in some one thing I like. I have 
dreamed of being able and longed to sing like Patti, to play like the 
old masters, to write like Shakspeare. I have dreamed of going 
through college and becoming very learned — of becoming a missionary 
— of being rich and doing much to relieve the poor — to be good. I 
have longed to possess all virtue, absolute truthfulness and unsel- 
fishness. 

F., 18. From 14 to 16 it was one of my greatest delights to sit down 
by the fire in the winter and build air-castles. I imagined myself in 
all sorts of high positions. It was hard to overcome this habit, but 
now I have no such tendencies. 

F., 18. My longings many times have been intensified, and I have 
had a much greater tendency to reverie and dreaminess. 



22 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

We are reminded of L,ongfellow's " lyost Youth : " 

" The gleams and glooms that dart 
Across the school-boy's brain ; 
The song and the silence in the heart 
That in part are prophecies and in part 
Are longings wild and vain." 

These ideals, which are attained to in spirit almost at a bound, 
together with the new rush of ideas and the new soundings in 
the deep sea of emotion, render it impossible sometimes for the 
adolescent to talk easily. He feels important. In imagination 
he addresses large audiences or delights the circle in conversa- 
tion. He feels even more keenly what the mature person feels, 
but when he comes to talk his motor apparatus has not acquired 
facility. Acquiring speech is a long process. A new life calls 
for new speech. It must be acquired often with painfully awk- 
ward effort. 

The speech center and connected processes are easily thrown 
out of function by a nervous disturbance. The second dentition 
sometimes deprives the child of the power of speech^ and they 
must learn it again, or it may cause stammering. Anger some- 
times renders speech impossible. Deep emotion has a similar 
effect and enters as a prominent factor into this adolescent diffi- 
culty. It may be that in this dumb, bound feeling, we have 
another phase of nervous inhibition, since manj^ nervous diseases 
are clearly associated with this period. ^ 

Language. Was it harder or easier to express one's self, and was 
there a dumb, bound feeling? Was truth-telling harder or easier? 

There were 346 answers. 262 — 72 M., 190F., have experienced 
this difficulty. 82 — 27 M., 57 F., never suffered for want of 
words. 

As to truth-telling, some found truth a necessity. The slight- 
est deviation was painful. Some found it very hard at this 
period to tell the truth. 

M. Not easy to tell the truth. Great imagination and desire to 
make a good story. 

M., 21. From a confident singer and speaker as a child, I became 
very diffident and have hardly yet gained much power of expression. 

M., 18. Find it much harder to express my thought, especially if it 
is something I feel deeply. Truth-telling harder. 

F., 23. If a little embarassed at 13 I found it almost impossible to 
talk. 

F., 32. I have suffered much from that dumb feeling. I have a 
nervous dread of losing the words I want to say. 

F., 17. Harder to express myself, especially if I feel deeply, then I 
cannot express it at all. 

F., 28. Seems harder for me to express myself in words than ever, 



^ Langdon Down, op. cit. 
^ Cf. Clouston, op. cit. 



PSYCHOLOGY ADD PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 23 

for I hear others talk well and in trying tcf choose my language I find 
that the right words will not come at the right time. I do not want 
to use my baby language and so find it hard to say what I want to. If 
I used my old language I could say it easily. 

M., 26. It was harder to express myself. Could this be from my 
using my receptive, rather than reproductive powers during adoles- 
cence? 

F., 20. I have found it harder to express myself. That is, I have 
far more thoughts but cannot readily put them into words. The 
thought seems ready to burst forth, but the words will not come. 

F., 19. Since 12 I have had a difficulty in getting the right word and 
so stumble in speech. It is a motor difiiculty. 

M., About 12 I had feelings too deep for me to express. 

F., 17. The dumb-bound feeling expresses my condition exactly. 
This is true especially when I feel that a thing is so. 

F., 17. At II, when asked to describe Valley Forge, I had seen so 
much and had so few words, I could make but few statements about 
what I had seen. 

M. I never can express myself easily, and at this time I did not 
want to express my thoughts to any one unless it was to a dog or 
horse. 

M., 17. Very difficult to think and speak at the same time. Came 
to feel dumb-bound. Truth -telling always easy. 

M., 21. Hard to express myself when with those who are not in 
sympathy with me. 

M., 19. I find it hard to use good grammar when with my superiors. 

F., 40. Felt dumb over the enjoyment of out-door life. 

F., 28. From 12 to 18 I was fluent and never failed for a word. 
Criticism at 18 for use of language made me conscious and stumbling. 

F., 32. Always a gift of gab — no dumb-bound feeling for me. 

F., 21. Always easy to express myself. 10 to 12 a bad habit of lyino-. 
Very hard to break it. Tempted at times now. 

M., 22. Expression became easier. Truth-telling was a kind of 
increasing necessity with an aversion to exaggeration. 

Future. Were careers, plans, vocations, trades, etc., dwelt upon? 

There were 462 returns. 369 — 167 M., 202 F., have planned 
the future, while 93 — 81 M., and 12 F., have not. 

Closely connected with the widening of apperception, with 
the rush of new ideas, longings, and change of thought from 
near to far and change of ideals, is the tendency to plan the 
future. It is so common as to demand only numerical mention 
here and a few illustrations. 

F., 18. Asa child I dreamed much of the future. Wanted to be a 
musician, elocutionist, artist, milliner, book-keeper, dress-maker and 
a school teacher. Have often desired to be as beautiful in character as 
Christ himself. 

F., 24. One of the greatest pleasures of my life has been to make 
plans and map out an ideal career. 

F., 20. Planned to teach in early childhood. At 13 I began to de- 
clare it, and after much discussion my wish was granted, and I began 
to prepare for it, to my great delight. 

M., 50. Nothing is more intense and vivid than my plans for the 
future. One scene. A high hill with bald summit. Had been bMmed 
for something and went to that peak. Alone there I had a very deep 
and never-to-be-forgotten experience. I paced back and forth and said : 



24 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

"Now I will, I WILL, make people like me, and I WILL do some- 
thing in the world." I called everything to witness my vow. 

F., 23. My plans for the future were all for literary fame. School 
aroused my ambition and for three successive years I took essay 
prizes. 

M., 18. I look to the future. Think of myself as teaching, reading 
law, at the bar, in the legislature, an active speaker always taking the 
side of right and denouncing wrong. I have had many ideals, one to 
be a minister. 

F., 19. I often think of the future and wonder what it has in store 
for me. I sometimes wish that ten years would pass in a night. 

M., 19. Planned his future and painted it with the tints of the sea- 
shell. 

F., 19. In mind I have planned the first day of school and gone 
through it many, many times. At one time I wanted to be a trained 
nurse. I pictured myself among the patients and how I would act in 
an operation. Then how I would study abroad and get a fine position. 

Home. Did the attractiveness of home diminish, and was there a 
tendency to be out, go far away, strike out for self, seek new associa- 
tions and friends? Should home be left part of the time? 

Parents and Family. Did parental influence decline ? How differ- 
ently were father and mother, brother, sister, and other relatives re- 
garded? Parental authority, punishments? 

School. Was there a disposition to leave school, change studies, or 
teachers, defy authority, or to /eel more deeply studies, punishments 
and discipline ? 

403 answered the question regarding home. 253 — 153 M., 
100 F., had a desire to leave home and strike out for themselves 
or found home less attractive. 150 — 29 M., 121 F., had no 
desire to leave home. 

107 thought that home should be left a part of the time, 20 
thought it should not. 

As to parents and family, 281 replied. 99 — 33 M., 66 F., 
said parental influence did decline, while 181 — 35 M., 146 F., 
found their parents just as dear and obeyed them as readily as 
in childhood. 

100 — 32 M., 68 F., felt a disposition to leave school or did 
leave for awhile during this period. 192 — 98 M., 94 F. , had 
no such feeling. 

It must be borne in mind that these returns were mostly from 
Normal School, High School, Academy and College students, 
a majority of whom were away from home when they wrote. 

75 — 34 M., 41 F., rebelled against the authority of home or 
school, during the adolescent years. 

74 — 15 M., 59 F., say that punishment was felt much more 
deeply. 18 — 9 M., 9 F. , experienced no change. 

This gives a very true picture of the feeling of young people 
toward home, school, and authority at this period of life, because 
the answers were given under conditions allowing free speech 
and favoring home, parents and school. It is a very forcible 
illustration of the fact that a boy or girl from 12 to 18 is fully 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 25 

conscious of personality and the rights of individual recog- 
nition. 

This feeling that home is shut in and the desire to get away 
and travel, to see for one's self and form new associations, is an 
instinct as old as the race and common to all animal life. It is 
like the migratory instinct of birds. It may spring up suddenly 
with the most obedient and well bred children. It is not a sign 
of degeneration or of less love for the home or parents. It is 
often associated with the most intense love of home and family. 

The feeling is strongest at 16 to 18 or about the time of the 
final approach of maturity. 

The sudden feeling of rebellion against authority, which often 
surprises the child as much as the parent, is another instinctive 
habit of the race. These crop out in the best children, some- 
times with a violence that shocks everybody. 

It is not necessarily a bad sign, unless frequently repeated. 
The desire to leave school, together with the desire to leave 
home, is a true and natural impulse to adjust himself to the 
life which he is already living in his imagination in company 
with his ideals. 

Sympathy, not punishment, is the proper corrective. 

F., 20. Home not so attractive. Wanted to be away to care for my- 
self. Alwaj^s rebelled against punishment. Never wanted to leave 
school. 

F., 19. I think that home should be left, for it makes one appreciate 
it. Home influence has not declined for me, but influence of parents 
has declined. 

F., 18. I love my home, but have times when I want to go away and 
try for myself. Love my parents more. Often tired of school. 

F., 20. Had a strong desire to leave home, but now would like to 
go back. l/ove parents more. Have once or twice felt defiant toward 
the authorities at school. 

F., 17. Home not changed. Want to leave for a short time. Influ- 
ence of parents declined. Have short times that I want to leave 
school. 

M., 19. Rebelled against home and his father's authority. He was 
eager for school, but was forced to leave because he never knew his 
lessons, though easily superior in ability. His conduct was willful and 
positively unendurable at times. 

F., 17. I grew very restless at home. When away from home I feel 
as if I could be perfectly happy at home. 

F., 16. I did not love' my father or mother till about 13. I thought 
them nice. I feel more deeply all reproof and have had times when I 
wanted to leave school. 

F., 18. Home more attractive. Parents' influence stronger but they 
do not command at all. 

M., 27. Attractiveness of home diminished. Had times that I 
wanted to leave school. Often wanted to defy authority. Crave 
sympathy. 

F., 19. I used to be extravagantly fond of travel, now I don't care. 

F., 17. Home is very dear, but I left it last year to strike out for 
myself. 



26 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

F., 24. I defied the teacher's authority at 13 and left the room. 

F., 18. Have defied authority at school and felt a secret pleasure in 
so doing. Often wanted to leave school. I craved sympathy. 

F., 21. Want to be at home, but have new friends. I like to be un- 
der authority. I crave sympathy. 

F., 19. At 14 I wanted to leave school and did so. Was out for six 
months and then went back with a new zeal. 

F., 20. At 14 had a great desire to break all rules of school simply 
because they were rules. 

F., 17. At 13 to 14 I wanted to go somewhere all the time. Home 
lost its attraction. I resented punishment and felt that I was not a 
child any more. At 14 I was tired of my teachers, studies, discipline, 
in fact tired of everything connected with my school life. (Now in 
Normal School.) 

F., 19. I have at times felt like defying the authority of the teacher 
from 12 to 16. Yesterday morning in chapel I had an impulse to rise 
and tell the speaker to be still. The thought of the disgrace that 
would follow frightened me so that I hardly dared breathe. I do not 
know why I felt so, for I respect the person highly. 

Closel}' associated with this desire to rebel against home and 
school is the spirit of leadership. 171 very brief replies were 
given, mostly monosyllabic. It is a noticeable fact that a large 
majority of those who express no desire for leadership are girls. 
Man}' of them said they much preferred to be led. 

81 M., 55 F., developed a spirit of leadership at puberty, 
3 M. and 31 F. preferred to follow. The subject may 
be seen much more distinctly in the chapter on biography. 

The success and buzz of organizations in the hands of the 
young people themselves illustrate this spirit of leadership in 
active operation. 

F., 25. Ivcadership and independence unusually strong, but not a 
favorite with my fellows. 

M., iS. Was very timid as a child. Now I like prominent parts in 
games or work. I never used to want to lead. Now I do not want to 
follow. 

F., 19. I used to like to lead, but now I rather be led. 

M., 27. I had at 14 a distinct spirit of leadership, again at 20. 

M., 21. Independent and fond of leadership. 

M., 21. Since 12 I have felt independent and would rather lead 
than follow. 

F., 23. Strong desire for leadership, while previous to adolescence I 
was very dependent and willing to be led. 

F., 17. Before 12 always a leader. The girls asked me if they might 
plav. Now I just as soon some one else would lead. 

F., 21. Became more independent, but had streaks when I would 
like to lean on some one else. 

Friends. Were there associations with older or younger ; confidences, 
sympathies, cronies? Were friendships changed, deeper? 

369 answered the questions. Of these 69 M., 158 F., total 
227 sought the companionship of friends older than themselves. 
51 — 10 M., 41 F., sought younger friends, leaving 91 who 
choose companions of their own age. 75 per cent, of adoles- 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 2"] 

cents seek the companionship of those considerably younger or 
older than themselves. 

The reason for this is sometimes given in the answers them- 
selves, but often left to be inferred. One reason is a desire for 
sympathy and escape from the merciless teasing vi^hich they are 
so apt to get from those of their own age. This love of sym- 
pathy may account for many cases where boys in their teens 
have married women lo to 15 years older than themselves. 
Another great reason for seeking companions older than them- 
selves is the great desire to find out things about themselves and 
the relation of the sexes and facts about reproduction and other 
matters which are usually kept so carefully guarded from young 
people. Older people often speak more freely of these subjects 
and often drop a word which is eagerly caught up b.v the adol- 
escent. It is a silent way of begging for information often un- 
justly withheld. 

100 answered the question whether friendships were deeper or 
not, 96 saying yes and 4 no. 

M., 20. Associations witli older people. Do not crave sympathy, do 
not want any one to sympathize with me. 

M., 19. I seek older associates because I can learn more from them. 

M., 22. Best friends older. Don't like girls as well as married wo- 
men, for the latter are more sympathetic. 

F., 16. I crave sympathy and have older friends. 

M., 2 1 . I have great attraction toward older people, especially ladies 
over 30. 

F., 17. All my friends are older, my best friend 4 years older. I 
crave sympathy and feel that the teachers might realize that we are 
far away from home. 

F., 33. Companions older. I was more interested in my father's 
conversation with other men, and my mother and sister were much 
more entertaining to me when they were talking to their friends. 

F., 18. I would rather associate with young people, unless the older 
people were talking about things I had no business to hear, then I pre- 
ferred their company. 

M., 16. Like older friends best. Love a girl of 23. 

M., 36. At 13 my friends were women much older than myself. 
After 13 I cared more for men 10 or 15 years older than myself. 

F., 19. I have always associated with older people. At 14 I thought 
more of the young ladies than the girls my own age. Many of my 
friends are ten years older than myself. I am rarely confidential, but 
every one confides in me. I never ask for these secrets. I am very 
sj'mpathetic, often highly sensitive to the joys and sorrows of any one I 
like. I sometimes feel my friends' troubles more than my own. At 
other times my lack of sympathy is almost brutal. I am no actress 
and cannot feign what I do not feel. When it comes to real friendship 
I prefer men to women. They are more honest, broad-minded, gener- 
ous, open, original in their opinions, ready to help when needed, ap- 
preciative, far more worthy to be trusted. I am an American. I am 
the oldest child, have studied psychology and know the meaning of 
these questions ; am white, a Christian and a Protestant. 

Love. How did feelings about the other sex change? Was a real 



28 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

person first loved ? Was the person older, idealized, how long did the 
affection last, how shown? Describe later loves. 

This section was not very fully answered. 91 have frankly 
answered the questions. Of these 69 — 28 M., 41 F., have been 
in love before the age of 25. 22 — 11 of each sex, have had no 
love experiences. These answers were from young people from 
16 to 25. 9 — 2 M., 7 F. , have loved purely imaginary charac- 
ters, and 49 — 3 M., 46 F., speak of passionate love for the same 
sex. 

Any complete study of adolescence must needs deal with this 
subject, yet here it can have but a brief treatment. It is not 
an essential characteristic of adolescent psychology, but it is 
the time in life when it is natural for the sexes to be attracted 
to each other and to begin those attachments which ripen into 
love and marriage which forms the foundation for all that is 
pure and noble in our home and social life. 

With well-balanced boys and girls the matter of love will 
come in its own good time and place. The mating instinct is 
strong, however, and will assert itself. The only danger is 
precocity. After the judgment and character are well formed 
there is little danger from this noble passion. 

The love of imaginary persons is somewhat striking, but 
only shows that some one, oftentimes, must be loved at this 
period. 

The love of the same sex is not generally known, but is very 
common. Without solicitation 49 cases have been reported. 
It is not mere friendship. The love is strong, real and pas- 
sionate. 

Many of the answers to the syllabus are so beautiful that if 
they could be printed in full no comment would be necessary. 

F., 21. I h-ad an ideal lover, older than myself, it still continues. 
Never changed regarding the opposite sex, always had a hatred of men. 

M., 19. My first love was an ideal person. Did not last long. 

F., 37. My first love was an ideal character and much older than 
myself. 

F., 23. I fell deeply in love with a teacher at 17. I adored her and 
could not tell her that I liked her. I choked if I tried to. I lost that 
love quickly and for a very slight cause. 

M., 21. A real person was desperately loved for the space of three 
months at nine. A second love came at 15. The affection was shown 
by personal declaration on both sides. She left town, when I am 
ashamed to say my devotion gasped once or twice and expired. Since 
then I have twice been desperately in love. 

F., 33. At 14 I had my first case of love, but it was with a girl. It 
was insane, intense love, had the same quality and sensations as my 
first love with a man at 18. In neither case was the object idealized. 
I was perfectly aware of their faults, nevertheless my whole being was 
lost, immersed in their existence. The first lasted two years, the 
second seven years. No love has since been so intense, but now these 
pel sons, though living, are no more to me than the veriest stranger. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 29 

M., 21. Idealized a girl, love lasted only a few weeks. 2nd case, 
idealized, love lasted two or three weeks. 3rd, a teacher much older, 
idealized, lasted several years. 4th case, same age, slightly idealized, 
lasted a year. 

F., 19. At 15 I had a time of writing poetry on love, due to falling 
in love with an older and superior girl. 

M., 50. Then the girl-fever. There were two or three who were my 
ideal at different times. The first was five years older. ''I would 
have eaten dirt for that girl for a year or two. She never mistrusted 
it. Never dared speak to her." 

F., 19. At 12 I was promoted to a teacher with whom I soon became 
infatuated. I talked of her from morning to night. Remained after 
school, etc. From then till 17 I adored some teacher or other all the 
time. At 17 I was much in love with a girl six or seven years older. 
I consider such love sin. 

F., 24. My first love affair was a very innocent and infantile one. 
At 15 I spent two months on the Great Lakes The first day I noticed 
a young man in uniform who somehow interested me. We never got 
beyond the point of saying good-morning. Toward the end of the time 
I found myself blushing when he helped me into a boat, and felt my 
heart beat at the sound of his step overhead when he was watching. 
The next summer I felt a strong desire to have him love me. The third 
summer I spent hours every day in thinking up scenes in which he 
should declare his love to me. 

F., 35. Girls between the ages of 14 and 18 at college or girls' schools 
often fall in love with the same sex. This is not friendship. The 
loved one is older, more advanced, more charming or beautiful. 

When I was a freshman in college I knew at least thirty girls who 
were in love with a senior. Some sought her because it was the fashion, 
but I know that my own homage and that of many others was sincere 
and passionate. I loved her because she was brilliant and utterly in- 
different to the love shown her. She was not pretty, though at the 
time we thought her beautiful. One of her adorers, on being slighted 
was ill for two weeks. On her return she was speaking to me when 
the object of our admiration came into the room. The shock was too 
great and she fainted. 

When I reached the senior year I was the recipient of languishing 
glances, original verses, roses and passionate letters written at mid- 
night and three in the morning. 

Selfishness and Altruism, (i) Was there increase of self-indul- 
gence, egoism, self-assertion? (2) More unselfishness, devotion to 
other persons or causes, with sacrifice of self ? 

285 answers were received. Of these 214 — 74 M., 140 F., 
replied that they were more unselfish and showed devotion to 
others. 71 — 26 M., 45 F., said there was a large increase of 
selfishness. The answers are somewhat unsatisfactory from a 
scientific standpoint because the young people hesitated to say 
that they were less selfish. I suspect that many of those who 
said they were more selfish would not be judged so by others. 
But some are intensely selfish as the records show. It is only 
a passing mood and should be outgrown. One case is reported 
of a boy who was so selfish that the parents and family were 
deeply concerned about him. The next year he was generous 
and noble. It is the great period in life for devotion to others 



30 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

especially in self-sacrificing causes. Pledges, agreements, vows, 
and other restrictions on one's freedom, are made at this period 
with a joyous enthusiam. 

F., i8. Always unselfish. When mother gave me money to buy 
clothes I would give it away to some poor child I met on the street. 

F., i8. More altruistic. Think selfishness is the meanest thing in 
the world. 

M., 21. At i6 I grew very sympathetic. I feel deeply the trouble 
of others. My ideal is a pure life ruled by love alone. 

F., 20. At 16 I was so altruistic that many times I gave my break- 
fast to a little girl that came around begging, and did not let my 
mother know it, and went to school without any. 

F., 18. Feel much more selfish than as a child. 

F., 17. Selfish by nature but for the last year or two, by thinking a 
moment, I became generous. 

F., 17. I am more self-assertive. I have streaks of being unselfish 
and the opposite. 

F., 24. During this period I have sacrificed my own pleasure to that 
of others many times. I have often staj'ed at home to let a younger 
sister go. 

F., 18. I have spells of being purely unselfish. 

F., 23. At 16 I became very selfish. I decided that it was no use 
to deny myself for others and have found it very hard to break the 
habit. 

F., 33. About 16 I felt that I was important enough to be noticed 
anywhere. My conceit did not last long. I became more unselfish at 
this age. I began to help my sister which I had never done before. I 
performed even disagreeable tasks for her. 

M., 20. I associated with those who were not good characters to try 
to bring them to a higher level. 

M., 16. Increase of self-indulgence and self-assertion and also often 
of sacrifice for others. 

F., 18. I am more selfish and hate to give up anything that will 
give me pleasure. 

Were there impulses to reform self, others, religion, state, so- 
ciety, etc. ? 

Out of 149 answers regarding reform, 142 — 49 M., 93 F., 
have experienced these impulses. This feeling was very strong- 
ly seen in the biography also and is very characteristic of ado- 
lescence. The enthusiastic youth takes no account of the 
difificulties to be surmounted, but single-handed starts out to 
reform religion, politics, social customs and the wrongs of the 
laboring classes. The reforms thus achieved furnish a striking 
chapter in history. 

O, would the soul might ever 

Achieve its immortality in youth. 
When nothing yet hath damped its high endeavor. 

After the starry energy of truth ! 

—Lowell. 

Rivalry, jealousy and courage are often intensely displayed 
and are characteristics of the period. 

F., 19. I have spells that I want to start a great reform. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 3 1 

M., 19. Had a great desire to be a leader and political reformer but 
it is dying out. 

F., 19. I often have impulses to reform myself and others socially. 

M., 21. My impulses to reform were very many and very strong. 

F., 18. I have impulses to reform myself, society and institutions. 

F., 18. I am more independent, and at times feel a spirit of rivalry 
and courage and want to reform self and society. 

M., 25. Was independent, full of reverie, jealous and lacked courage 
at times. Impulses to reform the world and to invent were present. 

F., 20. When sick at 17, I felt that I ought to organize a society to 
look out for tramps. Have felt that I should reform myself too. 

F., 16. Strong feelings of jealousy. Impulse to reform. 

F., 17. I have had a spirit of rivalry and a desire to reform society. 

F., 18. Am very jealous, desire to reform everybody. 

M., 19. CAfrican.) Always a leader in spirit, dreamy, jealous, not 
very courageous, given much to reform of self and others. 

Energy and Activity, (i) Were there spells of languor, inertia, 
laziness of mind or body ; sloth in play or study, with great indiffer- 
ence of feeling to work or duty; and ("2) spells of unusual activity, 
zeal, energy, work, interest, etc.? 

514 — 1 70 M. , 344 F. , report spells of inertia of mind or body or 
spells of unusual activity. These show that the spells of energy 
and activity are affected b}^ the weather, somewhat, but a large 
majority seem to experience these moods in all kinds of weather. 
It must have its explanation in the physiological condition at 
this period. The rapid growth and the unsettled condition of 
brain and muscle may cause unusual irritation of the motor 
centers or hypersemia or anasmia of those centers and thus bring 
about these fluctuations in activity which in their intense form 
are distinctly adolescent phenomena. It amounts in many cases 
almost to cramp of the motor centers, judging by the amount 
of work some can do without fatigue when these spells are on, 
and the rapidity of fatigue at other times. 

F., 18. At 13 I had spells of languor. Hard to work and it was not 
well done. Again I can do twice the ordinary labor. Can work all 
day with no sign of fatigue. 

F., 24. At 16 I had such a spell of energy that I took the parlor car- 
pet up, cleaned it, put it down and put all in order alone. Wrote an 
essay in this mood at 23 and it was criticised as not sounding original. 

F., 17. In languid periods I feel as if I should like to lie down and 
sleep for a week. Again I do distasteful work with a real interest. 

F., 16. The summer I was 12 I would stay in bed till noon and then 
sit around the rest of the day doing nothing. I have spells of activity 
that last a week, and do unnecessary work. 

M., 20. Have had spells of languor. Brain seems totally inactive. 
Again something pushes me on and I know not how to stop. 

F., 18. Spells of inactivity, at other times an overflowing of energy. 
Then I could accomplish an astonishing amount of work in a short time. 

F., 19. At 14 there were times when I had a great loathing of any 
activity. Again felt like doing heavy work and craved it. I do not 
notice these spells now. 

F., 19. About 17 I had a week that I was so stupid that I did not do 
any work and would not. That same spring there were three or four 
days that I could not find enough to do. 



32 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

F., 17. This year has been characterized by alternate spells of lan- 
guor and great activity. After working in these languid spells I feel 
as if I had been through a coffee mill. 

F., 17. One time I had a spell of activity and swept and cleaned 
several rooms. I do not generally do much of such work. 

Elation or Depressio7i. (i) Were there spells of despondency, 
gloom, feeling of unworthiness or sin, with perhaps flitting thoughts 
of death and suicide? If so, state frankly and confidently the causes, 
cures, etc. (2) Were there periods of joy, elevation, spontaneous 
happiness? (3) How were feelings usually modified as to range, in- 
tensity, change, direction, etc. ? Note especially anger, pride and /ear. 

766 answers were received on this section. Of these 285 — 
85 M., 200 F., report spells of elation while 10 report no times 
of unusual elation. 471 — 237 M., 234 F. , report spells of de- 
pression. The same 10 individuals who report no elation report 
also no depression, and generally those who report the one re- 
port the other also. 

These moods, probably, have the same cause as cases of activ- 
ity or inertia but are not contemporaneous with those spells. 
In no case were they so reported. Depression is usually re- 
ported as following soon after the period of elation. In only a 
few cases was it reported as invariably coming first. 

Many report the common experience of feeling despondent 
on awaking, less so after a bath and toilet, cheerful by school- 
time and joyful at noon. The returns indicate a close relation 
between depression or elation and conditions of nutrition. These 
spells of depression normally cease at the close of the adolescent 
period. In morbid or pathological cases these fluctuations 
readily develop into melancholia or mania. 

The saddest chapter of this study is associated with these 
fluctuations of moods. Thoughts of suicide are very common. 
13 cases of attempted suicide are reported. 3 were successful 
in the attempt. Cases may be noted often in the papers. This 
point will be given farther di.scussion under the treatment of 
such cases in the conclusion. 

Feelings are reported as being much more intense and wider 
ranged. Anger and pride are usually intensified, but kept un- 
der better control, while fear is usually reported as much less 
intense, except of a moral nature or fear of some secret disease. 
This latter fear was common and intense. The curve of 
despondency starts at 11 and rises steadily and rapidly till 15, 
and culminates at 17, then falls steadily till 23, where it reaches 
the base line. 

The returns are very full. Space can be given to only a few 
of the briefer cases. 

M., 15. I often have spells of despondency. Can understand a 
person's committing suicide. I have times of great joy and am pleased 
with everything. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 33 

M., 22. Subject to great extremes till 18. Have thought less often 
of suicide than before puberty, but very strongly at times. Chief reason 
for this was that I felt that people I liked, and especially my family, 
did not like and did not appreciate me. 

M., 18. Have spells of great despondency at the thought of not 
being able to finish my education. I have been on the verge of com- 
mitting suicide. I am sure I would have done so but for the thought 
of eternal punishment. 

F., 24. From 12 to 16 I was subject to attacks of melancholy and 
misanthropy. Had a violent repulsion to any human society. An 
hour or so spent by myself out of doors would usually restore me. 

F., 20. From 14 to 19 I had often spells oi despondency. I felt 
very sinful and lonely. Wanted sympathy. This was just after a 
joyful mood. 

F., 19. I have times of feeling very unworthy, with no cause, or 
when something has occurred to make me very happy. Again it seems 
as if I could shout for joy, just from the fact that I am living. 

F., 17. Spells of despondency, I know not why. All right if I can 
cry. Feeling of intense joy. 

M., 13. A boy came from school and said: " If I have got to get 
that geography lesson, I will jump into the pond and drown myself." 
Mother told him to go upstairs and lie down, thinking he needed rest. 
She followed him soon and found him hung by a rope that he had had 
there for some time. He was a good boy, fond of work. 

Morals and Habits. What new moral motives, temptations, etc., 
and how were they met? Were there sudden feelings of right and 
wrong, deeper appreciation of both in self and in others ; conscience 
and moral fears ? Was anj* penance ever self-inflicted ? How were 
dress, manners, etc., modified? 

526 answers were received. Of these 240 — 73 M., 167 F. , 
have experienced sudden moral feelings of right and wrong, 
against 16 who have not. 226 — 134 M., 92 F., have had a 
sudden impulse to correct anj' untidy appearance in dress, 
while 44 — 43 M. , I F. , report no change in dress or manners. 
The matter of dress seems to be an instinctive desire to irradiate 
the attention from sex or it may be due largely to the fact that 
the young person suddenly awakens to a feeling of maturity. 
Many things in the study indicate that all of the feelings of 
responsibility, of personality and worth become full-fledged at 
this time. This may account for the fact that the boy sud- 
denly realizes that his shoes are not blacked, or his coat and 
hair not brushed, or his collar not of the latest pattern. This 
change is very noticeable in the grades in school. 

There seems to come at this age a great desire to feel smooth. 
It is no doubt connected with the Roman and Grecian baths 
and the skin cults of history. Underlying that, is the feeling 
developed from pre-historic times that any roughness of the skin 
— as pimples, hair, etc. , is a relic of savagery and a conflict with 
the lower forms of life and the baser elements in one's own 
nature. 

On the moral side there is a new and tremendous access of 
possibilities. The young person awakens to the fact that 



34 PSYCHOLOGY AND PHDAGOGY OF ADOLESCEKCE. 

he can commit crimes of which he never dreamed before. 

There are numerous expressions of intense surprise at the 

awful thoughts of crime that go rushing through the mind at 

this time. 

The frequency of crime has been noted by Corre. ^ 

26 — 9 M., 17 F., report desperate criminal thoughts which 

in some cases required all the self-control of the individual to 

keep him from committing the crime thought of. 

Self-inflicted penance for immoral conduct or disobedience or 

error was often reported. In a few cases it was severe. 

F., 17. I have felt more the desire to do right because it is right. 
Feel indignant toward wrong and wrong-doers. 

M., 19. P'irst realized the meaning of "ought" during these years. 
Became very particular about dress and manners. 

M., 32. I remember saying as a child "I will be good or diabol- 
ically bad." Extreme it had to be. 

F., 20. Have often put upon myself penances for moral actions. I 
wore things I did not like or went without a favorite dish. 

F., 20. Sometimes something suddenly tells me what is right and 
I feel very uncomfortable if I do not live up to this prompting. I 
earned money for a bracelet which I wanted very much. But I got 
angry at my sister, called her names, was sorry, and next day put all 
the money in the contribution box. 

F., 17. I feel more deeply moral conduct. Once as a penance I 
walked six miles rather than take a ticket. I was dusty and tired 
on reaching home but felt better for the act. 

M., 20. Have had all sorts of bad temptations, and my mother's in- 
fluence has helped me to overcome them. 

F., 20. I feel more that wrong is ineradicable. Can see how hard 
it is to do right and therefore appreciate it more. I feared at times 
that I had committed the unpardonable sin. 

F., 19. At 13 I had a sudden change of dress. Never cared how I 
looked before. 

F. Act now from a sense of right or wrong. Inflict penance gener- 
ally by depriving myself of something to eat. At 13 I got into a per- 
fect rage if anything aroused my anger. Now I control it. 

M., 35. At 14 illicit desires began to show themselves. Strong 
temptations were safe-guarded by home training. 

F., 20. Anger and pride were both marked at that period. 

M., 26. My moral regimen was very severe on self. A Christian 
had no right to luxuries in dress, food, houses, etc. Refused to eat 
sauce, pie and cake. 

^ " Of 7,473 prisoners in France, in 1883, under 21 years of age, 
there were as follows : 

Below 8 years of age 14 boys, 6 girls. 
From 8 to 10 years of age 159 boys, 37 girls, 

425 " 117 " 

1,214 " 269 " 

1,739 " 409 " 

1,765 " 385 " 

714 " 209 " 

3 " 8 " 

" Out of 26,000 evil-doers arrested in Paris in one year 16,000 were less 
than 20 years of age." A. Corre, Critne and Suicide, p. 309. 



" 10 ' 


' 12 


" 12 ' 


' 14 


" 14 ' 


' 16 


" 16 ' 


' 18 


" 18 ' 


' 20 


Over 20 





PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 35 

M., 26. Got hold of a lot of quackeries about the danger of emis- 
sions, which frightened me almost to death. I thought each was 
wasting ray life and possibilities. This was terrible. I dreaded to go 
to bed at all. It was a tremendous relief when my brother said he 
was affected the same way. A doctor told me it was all normal. I had 
first consulted medical companies, who all tried to make me think my 
condition was deplorable in the extreme. If ever a set of men de- 
served to go straight to hell, it is these companies. I often contem- 
plated suicide. I had no friend, was solitary as possible. We need 
plain instruction or a book which will tell young folks the plain truth 
about these matters. 

M., 25. At 15 great desire to do just right and to help others. My 
greatest temptation was to give up everything, even my life, but the 
thought of my mother alone kept me from doing it. 

F., 35. I had criminal convictions. I said: "I will not try to do 
right any more." The realization that it was possible to disobey was 
a distinct pleasure to me. 

F., 33. About 13, while visiting, I was suddenly filled with thoughts 
of my own wickedness. It spoiled all my pleasure. 

M., 21. Criminal thoughts and impulses were more than flitting at 
times and required all the self-control possible to deal with them. 
Even that could not eliminate the thoughts. 

F., 24. Wanted to strike, kill, destroy and burn. 

F., 17. I have a beautiful niece. One day, when she was sleeping, I 
had a sudden thought that I should like to kill her. It shocked me that 
I could think of such a thing. It was over in a minute. 

M., 27. Had, after 14, a desire to hit some one or do some violent 
act. 

F., 18. Thought of killing my father, mother and self all at the 
same time. Also of committing suicide. W^ondered what the news- 
papers would say about it. 

Religion, (i) Was there more inclination to pray, read scripture, 
hymns, attend church, confession, pra5^er meeting, and were there new 
feelings toward God, Jesus? (2) New inclinations to do duty, bear 
witness, influence others religiously, go on missions? (3) Were there 
doubts, questionings, need of new grounds of faith, or was religious 
experience desired? All this in full. 

598 answer these questions. Of these 518 — 232 M., 286 F., 
report new religious inclinations between 12 and 25 — mostly 12 
to 20, while 80 — 60 M., 20 F., report no religious emotions. 

More than 5 out of 6 have had these religious emotions. 
This proportion is too small, probably, for those who report 
no religious interest are mostly repulsed by some creed or dogma. 
The interest exists aside from the church. The returns show 
that religion before this age was a mere form. Now it becomes 
full of meaning. It is a new interest and very many speak of 
it as a sudden awakening. It is spontaneous, like the interest 
in art or music, or the love of nature. Where no set forms 
have been urged, the religious emotion comes forth as naturally 
as the sun rises. There are many doubts, but they all center 
around some doctrine insisted on by the church, which con- 
tains no religion at all. One does not see her way to be a 
Christian because she cannot tell which denomination is right. 



36 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OP ADOLESCENCE. 

Another is repulsed by the doctrine of total depravity. Others 
doubt some phase of common belief. The Christian Endeavor 
is a good object lesson as to the value of giving adolescents 
untrammelled opportunity to serve God and perform religious 
duty. 

The missionary spirit is very strong. The desire to travel, 
to make new and wide acquaintances, to break with present 
surroundings, to sacrifice self for others, and especially to do 
all these in a religious cause, appeals with insistent force to the 
adolescent. A discussion of religious teaching will be given 
in the pedagogical conclusions. 

F., 20. Have become much more religious since 12. Prayer means 
much more. God seems so real, kind and helpful. The perfect life of 
Christ is a helpful contrast to the life of men. I have desired to go as 
a missionary. 

M. A marked change in religious thought at 17. I think I was just 
ready for it, so it came. 

M., 21. New religious feelings. Impulse to missionary work. 
Many doubts, but put them off till I could understand them. 

F. At 14 to 15 I became a Christian. I can give no cause for the 
change. I then seemed to realize for the first time all the truths that 
had been presented before. 

M., 19. Grew suddenly religious in various ways, though not 
brought up religiously. 

F., 18. I feel every year a greater dependence on some higher power. 
Religious feeling began to deepen and change at 16. 

F., 20. At 13 I was very religious and prayed all the time. This all 
passed away by 15. I began to love God at 14, and about this time 
joined the church.^ I loved the service very much. For about six 
months I had a strong missionary spirit. 

M., 21. I could not then and cannot now attend church or Sabbath 
school. I read the Bible twice each day and pray morning and evening. 
I look upon life as something g|lorious and admire all things good and 
beautiful, but despise to hear men harp on the weakness of humanity. 
If a preacher deals largely with sublime things, I enjoy it, otherwise 
not. 

F., 18. Not religious. Do not go to church, but pray. Have de- 
sired religious experience. 

F., 18. At 15 a new feeling toward God. He became a dear Father. 
I felt unworthy of His love. Felt earnest to work for the salvation of 
others. 

F., 16. Religion was a form till now it has become full of meaning 
to me. 

F., 18. I have had a strong desire to pray since 12. I never tire of 
praying, it keeps me close to God. My favorite song, "I am a child 
of a King." Can do nothing without God. 

_ M., 21. Religious feeling deeper than before 12. Stronger inclina- 
tions to pray and to do missionary service to the poor. Need new 
grounds of faith. 

F., 17. Since 14 a new religious interest. Have longed to go on mis- 
sions since 16. 

M., 35. Though I had no special reason for it I grew religious. 
Often alone I melted to tears at the goodness of God. I determined to 
lead a Christian life, prayed, found great joy, peace and change of life, 
and all that meant to me. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 



37 



Nature. Was solitude more often sought and companionship of 
dogs, horses, pets, communion with trees, forest, sky, clouds, 
moon, wind, stars; was there greater love of flowers, colors, perfumes, 
bird songs? How otherwise was feeling toward nature in all her 
departments affected ? 

The total number of answers was 702. 640 of these — 330 
M,, 310 F., expressed a real love for some form of nature, while 
62 — 28 M., 34 F., were not fond of nature. Love of nature 
therefore exceeds everything else reported in these returns. 
Over 90 per cent, of those answering were lovers of nature. 

No one form of nature seemed to predominate, but in all there 
was a longing to get near to nature in some of her forms. This 
love of nature in the time of its appearing, and the curve repre- 
senting it, are almost the same as those of the religious emotions. 
It is really a religious instinct and the child is finding God 
through nature. It is a wide-open door to all religious culture. 

The returns indicate that adolescents find a delightful and 
unique sympathy in nature. Nature seems to teach them 
rest and self-control. They flee to it as a refuge from all the 
elements that are warring within their own souls. To many 
it seems to be the very support of life itself. It gives a time 
for thought and meditation which the awakened soul now 
demands. Several associate these moments with nature, with 
divine worship. Others find strength in trees, moral courage 
in rocks, activity suggested by the waving of trees and running 
of streams. 

The years when the feeling was most prominent range from 
6 to 20. But the curve begins to rise rapidly between 1 1 and 
12, culminates at 13, 14 and 15, falls somewhat at 16 and then 
rapidly till 20. 

Record was kept of the animals preferred as pets with the 
followingr results : 



Total number 


vote 


s casi 


t, 


230 


Male. 


Female. 


Dog, .... 21 


45 


Horse, 






20 


32 


All pets, 






8 


31 


Cats, 






8 


21 


Birds, 






5 


21 


Rabbits, 






2 


3 


Squirrels, 






2 


2 


Cattle, 






4 


2 


Toads, 









I 


Chickens, 






I 





Tame rats, 









I 



Solitude was tabulated separately. 471 answers were re- 
ceived, 307 — 82 M., 225 F., were fond of solitude during the 



38 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

years 12 to 20, while 190 — 133 M., 57 F., were not fond of 
solitude. 

A striking fact is brought to light in returns from reform 
school boys of 13 to 16 years of age and also in returns from 
the poorer classes in cities, sent in by teachers. Of the boys in 
the reform school with over a hundred cases more than 90 per 
cent, were not fond of solitude. 90 per cent, of the girls also 
of these lower classes, children of foreign parentage, were not 
fond of solitude. On the other hand exactly 90 per cent, of 
the other returns were fond of solitude. The biographies of 
great men show that they have invariably been fond of soli- 
tude. " Talent is perfected in solitude." This would seem to 
indicate that love of solitude is a good index of mental ability. 
It shows the presence of a mind capable of entertaining itself. ^ 

Disraeli writes : ^ " Solitude is indispensable for literary pur- 
suits. No considerable work has yet been composed but its 
author, like an ancient magician, retired first to the grove or to 
the closet to invocate his spirits. Every production of genius 
must be the production of enthusiasm. When the youth 
languishes, and feels himself among crowds in an irksome soli- 
tude, that is the time for him to go into seclusion and medita- 
tion. Where but in solitude can he indulge the fine romances 
of his soul? Retirement to the frivolous is a vast desert, to 
the man of genius it is the enchanted garden of Armida." 

The curve for solitude is something like that for nature. It 
ranges from 8 to 25 but begins to rise rapidly from 11 to 12 and 
culminates at 14 to 15, then falls rapidly and steadily to 20. 
The intense love of solitude naturally falls thus entirely within 
the adolescent period. 

F., 21. At 13 nature became a real, almost human thing to me. It 
seemed to respond to a cry for something higher. In the study of it I 
found sympathy and relief and the germs of higher ideals in the 
conception of life. 

F., 24. I seemed to live through the winter for the sake of the sum- 
mer when I could return to outdoor life. I felt a passionate attach- 
ment to the earth and all things growing on it. I always felt them as 
a part of my own personality. This was strongest from 8 to 14. 

M., 19. Began to like to go out in the woods in rains and storms 
and to walk alone on very dark nights. 

F., 23. One Sunday afternoon, at 14, I stole from the house to the 
orchard, climbed up into a tree, sat there and dreamed for an hour. I 
felt as if I wanted to be alone. The same year I was sent through a 
piece of woods, and found it so beautiful I sat down at the foot of a 
tree to enjoy it. One night, at 13, I felt a strange thrill of companion- 
ship as I gazed at the moon. 

1 Another interesting item with theboys in this reform school, which 
occasions all sorts of suggestions, is the fact that they almost invari- 
ably dislike dogs. 

"^Curiosities of Literature , p. 136. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 39 

F., 17. I have spells when I feel that I must be alone. I think of 
the past and what I will do in the future. Or I watch objects in nature 
and think of God. I watch the stars appear one by one. 

F. When I was about 13 I enjoyed more than all else to be alone in 
the woods and fields. I spent hours sitting beside a little brook near 
my home, and sometimes a whole afternoon in the woods, studying the 
mosses or vines on some knoll under the trees. Liked pets, and my 
dog was always with me. Liked to study minute plants and see them 
at different times of the day and note the changes. 

M., 35. The love of solitude, that has been sort of a passion with 
me, began rather suddenly in my sixteenth year. Sunday afternoon I 
would go to some quiet nook and indulge in semi-religious or philo- 
sophic thought for an hour or so. Then the mood would pass rather 
suddenly and I would return in quite a different state of mind. Ready 
for a romp by the time I reached home. Preferred to hunt alone. 
Under the influence of the silent and over-arching trees I felt a strange, 
light, soothing melancholy. In the early twenties I developed a fond- 
ness for twilight walks in which I indulged in philosophic reveries. 

t., 18. At 13 I was attached to a horse and would stay with it by 
the hour. It got lame and was to be sold, but I cried so it was kept. 
At 14 to 15 I had a great desire to wear flowers every day. 

F., iS. At 14 fond of the stars. Liked to sit alone and look at them. 
They tell me of God. One night, at 15, feeling sad, I wandered to an 
old bridge and stayed there for hours. The beauty of the hills, the 
changing lights, the eddying waters, so affected me that I could not 
contain my feelings any longer, and leaning my head on the bridge I 
cried. Soon a feeling of peace stole over me and I went home. 

F., iS. I have felt that trees, flowers, and birds understood me. 
Have hugged a tree and almost worshipped the moon. Intense love 
of colors and perfumes of flowers. 

M., 18. Spend whole days alone in the woods. Like to go alone or 
with my dog, on horseback, in lonely places. Very fond of these two 
pets. Enjoy communion with trees and nature in general, but not sky, 
clouds or moon. Loved flowers as a child, but the love has greatly 
increased. Their purity and form appeal to me now, whereas it was 
only color. I have the highest ideals and purest thoughts when I am 
aloue in the fields, mountains, or among flowers I have cultivated. 

F., 20. From 12 to 14 I went often at sunset to a wood near home to 
remain through the twilight. I studied the clouds and thought that 
the obscuration of the stars was a sign that I was evil. 

F., 17. There are a few times that I feel that I must be alone. When 
sad I like the trees for company. They give me a restful feeling. I 
have a stronger love for flowers and natural scenery. 

F., 18. Before 12 I was uneasy if alone. At 13 I began to like to go 
to the woods alone. We had company once, and I felt so lonely that 
I left them to be alone. 

F.. 40. At 9 I felt the charms of nature no words could express. 
" I had run through the scale of human experience in most ways at 13 
and was like an old woman." "Nothing in later life has seemed so 
beautiful as the mosses on the rocks where my father carried and 
placed me at six or seven." 

M. The beauties of nature have always seemed the chief part of life. 
Not fond of solitude. 

F. Liked solitude about 15. Preferred seclusion from all friends to 
review the past and plan for the future. 

M., 18. I was greatly moved by a beautiful scene in nature at 15. 
I could not go on to my destination, but stayed there all the forenoon. 

F., 21. Since 18 I have loved to be out in nature for the pure enjoy- 



40 PSYCHOI.OGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

ment of it. It is pure delight to lie in the grass and look up in the 
blue sky, either in its perfect blueness or when fleecy clouds are float- 
ing about. Never liked poetry on nature because I had no feeling 
akin to it. 

M., 46. Enjoyed the forests and big rocks. Liked to fish and hunt. 
Had a resort in the ledges near home. Liked to ramble in the woods 
near cliffs and streams. Enjoyed a bright landscape in summer, when 
it seemed alive, moved by a gentle wind. I think I always considered 
the world as God's world and had some thought of Him. 

F., 20. She showed few signs of love for nature except for a horse 
on which she lavished her maiden love. He was beautiful and gamy. 
She was allowed to drive him when he was all a good man could 
handle. He M'as always kind with her. She spent many, many hours 
in his stall, combing his mane and foretop, braiding them at night, 
etc. She sobbed wildly when he was sold. 

F., 17. I love the wind, it brings a message from God to his child. 
If despondent I love to walk alone in the wind, it brings me comfort. 

M., 24. Since adolescence I like to be alone often. Nature teaches 
me such profound lessons. Trees seem so mighty to me. 

F., 24. I seek solitude more since 13 and much more since iS. I 
seek communion with trees, sky and stars. I consider them my 
dearest friends. The sky consoles me when in trouble. 

F. From 12 to 13 I cared for no company but that of nature. I had 
a seat under an oak tree in a small field surrounded by woods and near 
a small brook. Every day for nearly two months I would sit there 
and wonder at the beauty of nature which I had never noticed before. 
Birds, brook, trees and sk)' all seemed to be my friends. They soothed 
me when other things annoyed. 

F., 18. There is nothing I like better than to be alone for an un- 
interrupted time of thinking. I love all nature very much better. I 
woke up to the fact that everything in nature is beautiful when I was 
eleven. 

F., 21. After 14, when my adolescence began, I had a change of feel- 
ing toward nature. I loved to get up early and take long walks alone 
before breakfast. Liked to watch the moon and stars. Loved flowers 
and wore a large bunch when I could get them. 

F., 34. Grew fond of nature at 19. Sorrow sent me to the trees for 
sympathy. 

F., 27. Ever since I was 12 I have preferred solitude a part of the 
time. This was strongest at 14 and again at 19. 

M., 16. I liked pets, to hunt in the timber, to watch the sky, clouds, 
stars, or any natural object. 

F., 37. When young I loved companionship. As I neared maturity 
I sought to be alone. Would roam over the prairies or sit dreaming of 
the mysteries of the sky, heaven and earth or of great possibilities. I 
dearly loved everything in nature. 

F., 19. My feeling for nature grows deeper. For six years I have 
been passionately fond of the woods, sky and flowers. Am fond of 
dogs, horses, and pets generally. 

F., 18. I find exquisite beauty in all of nature's work. I feel a 
deeper and increasing love for nature and a helpfulness, too, in it all 
that I did not know a year ago. 

F., 20. Love to sit alone in the twilight and dream. It seems as if 
the moon and stars could sympathize with me as no one else can. Two 
years ago I came to love animals. Did not at all before. I have a 
peculiar sensation when I go into a great wood. It seems as if one 
were very near some great power, unseen but felt, and even the birds 
and squirrels seem to have wise thoughts about you. You involun- 
tarily speak to them. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 4 1 

M., 26. I became more fond of solitude. The mystery of the 
world, the key to unlock it, some holy grail to harmonize me and the 
world were sought. The open secret of nature seemed just before me 
but always slipping away. The world was strange and refused to be- 
come familiar. I was a wanderer in infinite time and space. 

F., 35. At 8 we were in the fields. I can remember the intense sen- 
sual pleasure from the sunshine and colors. Then there was an un- 
accountable, overwhelming perception of beauty that carried me 
away beyond the point of self-control and I ran to my mother crying, 
only answering that it was so beautiful. Another time at 15. I was 
running down a hillside to meet my sister, miles away from any 
dwelling, in a deep wood. I stopped with a feeling of awe. There 
came over me that strange, self-annihilating realization of that beauty 
which my soul at once named God. I felt that I had perceived God. 
I had been in his presence in a real sense. From that time God and 
religion, as I used them, had a deep and vital significance. 

Art. How, if at all, was feeling for paintings, or pictures generally, 
affected? Was there more interest or in different kinds? How differ- 
ently did music affect you? Was it felt more and did taste change? 
Architecture or drama, etc.? Was an artistic career contemplated ? 

Art and music were tabttlated separately. 472 answers re- 
garding art were received. Of these 361 — 176 M., 185 F. , 
experienced a new feeling for art in the adolescent period. 
136 — 77 M., 59 F. , noticed no change in relation to art. 

The returns indicate that 50 to 75 per cent, of young people 
may have a time when they are deepl}^ moved by the artistic, 
and the per cent, is very large of those who decide upon an 
artistic career while this fervor possesses them. This desire 
usually lasted only a few months or at most a year or two. 
It is not a sign of unusual artistic ability, but the new, impul- 
.sive emotional nature is awakened for the first time to artistic 
possibilities. It is the mind's way of unfolding. Next year it 
may be music, and art may be very distasteful. 

The change of taste in art was regularly from bright-colored 
pictures of children or people or animals in action to quiet 
pictures of still life or nature. Several adults still feel that a 
picture is defective unless there are persons in it. 

In the years 14 to 18 many spoke of loving only those paint- 
ings which represent deep feeling or portray the soul of the 
artist, such as " Breaking Home Ties," and the " Madonnas." 
The curve for the love of art begins at 10, rises rapidly till 12 
and falls steadily after 15, reaching the base line at 20. It is 
one of the first awakenings of the adolescent mind. 

566 answered regarding music. 464 of these — 215 M., 249 
F. , have had an increased love of music, amounting in very 
many cases to a passion, which, however, soon passed away. 
Only a small per cent, still desire to make music a profession. 
102 — 62 M., 40 F. , experienced no change in their musical 
taste. The curve for love of music corresponds almost exactlv 
to the curve of love of nature. It starts at 10, culminates at 
4 



42 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

15 and falls rapidly after 16. Numerous cases are reported 
where everything was given up to music for a year or two and 
then it was dropped. They say themselves that they were 
never equipped by nature for a musical career. 

F., 20. Contemplated a musical career, 15 to 16. I imagined myself 
the greatest musician in the world. I could see the audiences fairly 
spellbound, hear the applause at the end and see the handkerchiefs 
wave. Now it is all past. 

F., 19. I always meant to be a great artist. At 17 I purchased an 
outfit and began. The spell soon passed away. 

M., 22. Deep and discriminating love for pictures came at 18. En- 
joyed architecture. Music greatly disturbed me as a child and always 
made me cry, yet I liked it. 

F., 18. I am fond of painting. Long to be an artist. Music fills 
my soul with rapture. Experienced a great change for wall-paper, 
architecture, and everything artistic. 

F., 23. At 13 I used to dream of being a great musician. I never 
had an}' aptitude for it. 

F., 18. I grow more fond of art and music. Have thought that I 
would like to be an artist, but really have no talent for it. 

F., 22. Took great delight in pictures. Pulse quickened at the sight 
of a fine painting. Music often made me cry. 

F., 18. I see the soul of the artist now in the picture. 

F., 19. From 8 to 12 I liked pictures of birds, boys and girls. Now 
I like pictures in which there is sentiment. I feel music very deeply, 
it often makes me cry. 

F., 23. At 15 decided to be a musician. Saved all my money to go 
abroad to study. It lasted only a few years. 

F., 18. At 13 I longed to be a sculptor. That passed and now I 
long to be a musician. 

F., 21. Love of melody and rhythm began to decrease and the pos- 
sibilities of music as a means of expression has developed into an in- 
tense love of the musical drama. 

F., 18. In our house hung Angelo's Madonna. I hated it and would 
make terrible faces at it as a child. At 15 it suddenly struck me with a 
beauty that nothing else has ever made me feel. The Madonna came 
to be my ideal. Taste in music changed from that with a strong rhythm 
to quiet, soft, dreamy music. At 7 I was to be an artist, at 13 a musi- 
cian, at 15 an artist again. Now neither of them. 

F., 17. Like landscape paintings. As a child I wanted to have per- 
sons in a picture. Do not like music. 

F., 17. I used to like pictures of children in action. Now I like 
classical work. 

F., 61. I adored pictures, paintings, and longed to be able to make 
them myself. I loved dreamy music and at that age would have given 
worlds for an opportunity to learn music. 

Literature. What change was noted in reading? What different 
authors? What poets, novelists, essayists, historians, biographers, 
orators, books of travel, etc., were preferred? Was poetry or other 
literature written ? Enlarge here. What literature and what character 
appealed most strongly? 

523 full answers were received. The taste of those answering 
was evidently influenced by the literature taught in their schools. 
Yet as these returns came from 20 States, stretching from Maine 
to Utah, the results are certainly significant. 453 — 223 M., 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 43 

230 F. , have had what might be called a craze for reading at 
some time in the adolescent period. 70 — 24 M., 46 F., have 
noticed no difference in reading. Love of reading is even more 
noticeable in the case of the biographies studied than in the 
returns. 

Parents seldom realize the intensity of this desire to read. 
Those who feel it and are not provided with reading, some of 
which is even sensational in the best sense of the word, may- 
take up the worst kind of sensational reading. It is the golden 
opportunity to cultivate the taste and inoculate against the 
worst forms of the reading habit. The curve of this intense 
desire to read begins at 8, rises to 10, and then rapidly from 1 1 
to 14, culminates at 15, then falls rapidly, nearly reaching the 
base line at 18.^ 

M., 26. Never had any liking for poetry. Could not commit any of 
it without changing the words to destroy the metre. Read Shakspeare 
hut did not like it. I was a voluminous reader of all that came in 
my way. 

M., 22. I attempted to write poetic prose and unpoetic verse. Read 
romance, Kingsley, Scott, Irving, Bronte, then Curtis, Dante, Schiller 
and Shakspeare. All English Literature, as a study in biography and 
history, led to a delight in historic study and analysis of poetry. 

M., 32. At 14 to 15 read the life of Napoleon. It made an immense 
impression on me. I tried to dress and act like Napoleon, copied 
dozens of pictures of him. 

F., 21. From earliest childhood I have been an omnivorous reader 
of everything but trash. At 13 I was tolerabh- familiar with the whole 
range of current novels. And these, plus history, poetry and encyclo- 
pedias, furnished all my education till 12. I keep a novel on my study 
table, and an occasional half hour's reading preserves the balance in 
college life. 

F., 18. Used to like fairy tales. Now my favorite is Les Miserables. 
A passion for poetry followed that for art and music. 

F., 18. At 13 craved histor}^ and religious literature, then novels and 
plays. Had a craze for the opera. Used to write poetry at 13. Now 
literature pertaining to God and nature appeals to me most. 

M., 18. As a child I was delighted with fairy tales and characters 
in action only. Became a great reader of fiction and poetry at the 
adolescent period. 

M., 19. At 16 I got the idea that I was to be a great novelist. In 
the garret I wrote great works. Some of them had titles like "The 
Black Hand," and " The Lost Lover Reclaimed." I pictured countless 
admirers. 

F., 19. Like to read Longfellow for his sympathy. Great admiration 
for Milton and Shakspeare and Lew Wallace. 

^ A record was kept of the authors read and preferred. Of poets, 
Longfellow led more than two to one, having 237 votes, Tennyson 125, 
Whittier 104, Shakspeare 72, Holmes 53, Bryant 43, Mrs. Browning 21, 
Lowell 16, Wordsworth 15, etc. Of historians, Bancroft and Macaulay 
had most votes. Of novelists, Scott had 126, Dickens 112, Alcott 89, 
Eliot 64, Hawthorne 46, Roe 35, Stowe 24, Cooper 22, Lyall 21, Thack- 
eray 17, Lytton 17, Lew Wallace 16, etc. Novels received 812 votes, 
poetry 797, essays 67, history 37, travel 30. 



44 PSYCHOI.OGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOI.ESCENCE. 

F., 17. First liked fairy tales, then novels, then books of travel. 
Wanted to write stories, tried and failed. 

M., 35. My poetry period extended from 20 to 23. I read all of 
Burns' poems, much of Wordsworth, Byron, and Shelley. Also some 
of Moore, Mrs. Browning, Coleridge, Lowell and Longfellow. Lyrical 
and nature poetry were most interesting. 

M., 21. Longfellow's Bridge is my favorite. It is very dear to me. 

F., 61. I read everything I could get hold of indiscriminately. I 
wrote poetry, essays innumerable, and many stories, but destroyed the 
most of them, sent occasional papers to some periodical, and do not 
remember having any returned as unworthy of publication, but they 
never suited me, and when printed I shrank from acknowledging my- 
self as the author. 

F., 23. I was allowed to read just what I chose, and chose to read 
everything I could get at 13. For two years it was a great passion. 

F., 19. Like poets best. They came in this order. Whittier, 
Longfellow, Bryant, Shakspeare, Wordsworth. Hope sometime to 
enjoy Browning. 

F., 23. I read Ivanhoe many times at 13, so that I could repeat pages 
and pages of it. Passionately fond of Roe's novels at 14. Poems of 
nature, especially Scott's "Melrose Abbey," and Tennyson's "Saint 
Agnes Eve," and Longfellow's " Legend Beautiful," were imprinted 
on my memory never to fade. Whereas poems studied and recited as 
tasks have all faded. 

Science. Was there more interest in botan}-, zoology, physiology, 
astronomy, chemistry, geolog}-, physics and other natural sciences? 
Tell some details. 

381 returns were received to this section. 290 — 122 M., 168 
F., liked the sciences. 91 — 31 M., 60 F., disliked them. A 
record kept of those preferred shows the following votes for the 
various sciences : 

Total number of votes cast, ..... 543 

Female. 
Ill 
84 
42 

44 
43 
30 
16 
6 

M., 22. I naturally liked sciences, but a series of teachers whom I 
disliked caused me to avoid them and get interested in something else. 

M., 20. Very fond of natural history and making collections. Have 
sat up till nearly morning, I was so interested in studying Physiology. 

M., 35. From 14 to 16 curiosity regarding my physical nature be- 
came very intense. I had a deep sense of mystery. This was increased 
when I learned that our senses do not report correctly the outer world. 

F., 17. A growing interest in science. Wanted to take more than 
chance offered. What wonders do they reveal to us ! 

M., 19. At 19 I developed a passion for rare specimens of rocks. 
Spent hours in old stone quarries. It lasted three weeks. My folks 
called it another fad. 







Male 


Botany, . 


30 


Zoology, 




24 


Physics, . 




37 


Physiology, 




24 


Astronomy, 




24 


Chemistry, 




14 


Geology, 




14 


Physical Geogr 


aphy, 






PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 45 

M., 26. Was interested in Chemistry, Physics, and Botany. It 
never occurred to me to notice the flowers. It was the book work 
I wanted. Zoology, my present specialty, I did not begin till 23. 

F., 17. At 13 I had a passion to study astronomy. I said I would 
study it when I was older. 

M., 22. At 14 I had a retreat in the barn where I collected and 
arranged stones, shells, woods, etc. Would spend hours there. I 
mean to be a teacher of Botany and Zoology. 

F., 19. Botany and Chemistry at 16 were liked much. Sciences led 
my thoughts up to God. 

F., 18. Biology produced a great reverence for God. 

F., 19. Astronomy first opened my eyes to the boundless glor}^ of 
the heavens, awakening the first deep realization of a Supreme Being. 

Philosophy, etc. Did any teaching or stud}' of philosophy, morals, 
psychology, aesthetics or logic help you personally ; if so, what ideas, 
and how? Did it make or help doubts ? 

A large number of those who answered the syllabus had never 
studied philosophy in any form. 194 had studied philosophy 
and answered the question. Of these 167 — 34 M., 133 F., have 
been helped by the study of psychology and ethics. 27 thought 
they had received no benefit from it. More than six to one had 
doubts removed b)^ the study of philosophy. 

The following typical cases show the general character of 
the returns and many of the benefits received, 

F., 18. The study of Philosophy and Psychology opened new lines 
of thought and gave broader views. 

M., 22. All struggle with doubt came before I studied Philosophy. 
This served to straighten me out. 

F., 24. Psychology has helped me in habits and understanding of 
children. It has cleared up many doubts. 

F., 18. Psychology has helped me form better habits, increased my 
observation, made me love children more, given me valuable hints on 
teaching, made me desire to live a better, more cheerful life. 

M., 18. Psycholog3^ has helped me to understand myself and the 
Bible and has removed many doubts. The theory of evolution when 
I saw that it did not contradict the Bible, strengthened my belief in 
it. The study of habit shows the value of repetition. 

F., 21. Philosophy at 13 was destructive, awoke doubts that I could 
not answer. Made faith impossible. I could not feel assured of any- 
thing. Storm and stress. Studied Kant and Hegel and became a 
Christian through the ethical life thus developed. 

M., 20. Psychology has given me an idea of the wonderful work 
God has created in a human being. Taught me to understand man, 
animals and a child better. 

F., 17. Psychology has made teaching a sacred profession. A 
teacher must be cautious in her methods and example. It has shown 
the power of habit, made me observe others, judge less, deepened 
religion, shown me what a child is, explained educational principles, 
use of apperception, developed the study of the individual, develop- 
ment in natural order, thoroughness in primary memory. Made me 
care more for my fellow students, given a desire to study, helped me 
know myself, shown me how little I know. 

F., 24. Psychology has helped me to understand myself, to see the 
relation of man to the universe, to run our emotions into right 
channels, and make the body the instrument and friend of the soul. 
It has removed doubts about God. 



46 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 



CHAPTER II. 
Biography. 

There is a two-fold difficulty in the way when we attempt to 
gather adolescent facts from biography. In the first place, few 
writers of any kind have noted the distinguishing mental phenom- 
ena of this period, although savage tribes have noticed it for cen- 
turies. In the second place biographers would find it extremely 
difficult — at the time of their writing — to ascertain with any 
accuracy the adolescent qualities. 

The adult person seldom recalls much of the emotional life 
of his early years. This can be gathered only from diaries, 
notes, or the recollections of others. A friend may be impressed 
with the passing mood or condition of another and retain it 
longer than the one who experiences it. Even the best ob- 
servers of youth can see but a fragment of what is passing in 
the soul of the adolescent. It is only when there is an eruption 
or expression of the feelings that others are made aware of their 
presence. Since this comes as a surprise to the parent or friend, 
it may be retained for a long time, while the youth passes so 
rapidly from one thing to another that he soon forgets particular 
phases. 

A few autobiographies give very full details of early life. 
Among these Tolstoi's is one of the best. His record is that of 
a strong, healthy character. Others are more highly magnified 
but are of more doubtful value for scientific stud3^ 

The writer became much interested in a few of these, and 
undertook to bring together the scattered rays of light from 
many historic lives. After reading a large number it seemed 
best to select 200 whose early lives were quite fully described 
and 100 or 50 others from each of the following classes : 
Pioneer settlers in the west, home and foreign missionaries, 
actors, artists, poets, musicians, inventors, scientists, novelists 
and professional men. In all, one thousand have been noted 
and studied after reading a much larger number. 

It may not be too far afield to say here that biography in 
quantity is quite different from the biography of an individual. 
One good biography may be very interesting but it is solitary, 
like a shoot that has grown alone from the ground. A hundred 
or a thousand are like a large and beautiful tree. The balancing 
of part to part, the relation of each to each, the beauty and 
symmetry of each and all, make a majestic whole. After read- 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOIyESCENCE. 47 

ing a few carefull)^ a hundred or more skimmed rapidly must 
prove intensely interesting and very instructive. 

I shall first present the results of the 200. They were taken 
at random from all classes. The list includes statesmen, pro- 
fessional men, business men, explorers, inventors, mechanics, 
scientists, publishers and others. The attempt was made to 
make this list as widely representative as possible. 

In tabulating the results of the study, therefore, no one 
rubric would have an advantage, unless we consider that those 
whose lives are written are prominent and we might expect 
them to be more interested in literature, science, art, poetry and 
nature than the average life. The average life, probably, would 
show like results of less magnitude. Humanity is one, and in 
those who have had better advantages of nutrition and care in 
youth, education, experience and help in later years, the common 
qualities are more fulh- developed. No new ones are acquired. 

The following points have been noted and the results shown 
below in graphic form. By "nature," "art," "music," etc., 
we mean an unusual interest in these subjects. Most people 
like to read, but under literature we have scored only those who 
had a passion to read everything in reach at sometime before 
twenty-five years of age. The same is true of the other rubrics. 
Poetry includes none who wrote merely a few verses but those 
who wrote good poetry, most of which was published. Under 
science we have recorded those who had a deep love for it in 
adolescent years. The other headings will explain themselves 
and will be more fully understood in the short extracts of the 
lives given below. 

Of these 200 cases then, though often very incomplete, we 
find 109 recorded as being lovers of nature in adolescent years. 
Most of these included the love of solitude, as a desire to be 
alone with nature. 1 1 were solitaires. 53 have had a passion 
for some form of art or music. It may have lasted only a few 
days or weeks or it may have lasted for years. 

120 have had a craze to read. 58 wrote poetry. The aver- 
age age when these 58 wrote poetry is almost 15. The most 
frequent year is 13. 

46 were fond of sciences. 55 had a great desire to go to 
school. 7 hated school. Of 34 it is said that their senses were 
very keen and they were good observers. 

Deep religious emotions are mentioned in case of 53. The 
years spoken of as the times of deepest emotions and the largest 
number of conversions are 14 to 18. The average is 16 for 
conversion or uniting with the church. The largest number is 
at 15. All of these were boys. 

34 have had times of great despondency. 58 mention times 
of great energy or unusual activity. 



48 



PSYCHOIvOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 



31 have shown great unselfishness and devotion to others in 
the years 12 to 20. 

23 make mention of ideals which they imitated. 41 
have spent much time planning the future. 49 had deep 
longings. 51 left home before 20 j^ears of age to support them- 
selves. They often broke with home authority. Average age 
about 16. 9 showed a deeper love for home. 51 evinced 
marked leadership in their teens. Useful inventions were made 
by 23. 32 spoke of better health after puberty. 16 had poorer 
health. 17 had some friend much older, one had an intimate 
friend much younger than himself. 15 wanted to reform society. 
The other points tabulated are so poorl)' reported that they are 
not worth mentioning. All the above facts have reference, of 
course, to the years before 25, mostly 12 to 20. This can be 
shown graphically thus : 



Nature 109 

Art and Music 53 

Literature Craze, 120 

Wrote Poetry 58 

Sciences 46 

Eager for School, 55 

Hated School 7 

Religious 53 

Senses Keen 34 

Despondent 34 

Energy 58 

Altruism 31 

Ideals 23 

Future 41 

Longings 49 

Leaving Home 51 

Leadership 51 

Inventions 23 

Health — better 32 

Health — worse 16 

Friends — older 17 

Reform Society 15 



The above chart must not be taken as showing any definite 
facts. For out of the 200 only 120 report on any of these 
points noted. 15 is the least number used. If the whole facts 
could be discovered the result would doubtless be modified very 
much. It remains a significant fact, however, that out of 200 
famous men and women, the biographers should take notice that 
in their teens so many were lovers of nature, solitude, sciences, 
etc. , and at times, at least, so many had spells of devotion to 
music, art or literature. This table should be compared with 
the total returns, which come more nearly from the average boy 
and girl. Any movement will be towards the normal, as these 
figures change toward those of the returns. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 49 

The following glimpse into the lives of famous people shows 
the adolescent phenomena, and when read together they give a 
picture of what any youth may — and most youths do — pass 
through to a greater or less degree. 

It may serve to enable the general reader to recognize adoles- 
cent facts in literature if we give them here, briefly, in one group. 

Savonarola was a solitary, pondering, meditative boy. He felt 
deeply the evil of the world and need of reform. He spent a whole 
night planning his career at twenty-two. 

Shelley was unsocial, solitary, and indulged in wild fancies, walking 
by moonlight alone, gazing at stars and moon. He was deeply attached 
to a man much older than himself. 

Henry Ward Beecher was intoxicated with nature. lu college days 
he " drank in those deep draughts of nature that have been the inspira- 
tion " of his life. 

Goethe was deeply in love at fifteen. He showed a remarkable 
attachment to his sister and was full of wild dreams and longings. 

George Eliot had a passion for music at thirteen and became a skill- 
ful pianist. At sixteen she was religious and founded many societies 
to help the poor and care for animals. She had flitting spells of mis- 
anthropy. 

Edison attempted to read through the Detroit Free Library, and read 
fifteen solid feet before he was stopped. 

Robert Drury had at eleven a passion to go to sea. Nothing could 
restrain him. 

Seward refused to recite one day in college and left the room. 

Tolstoi says in his autobiography: "Did you ever happen, dear 
reader, at any period of life, suddenly to perceive that the aspect 
under which things appeared to you had undergone a change ? That 
everything you had seen up to that time had suddenly taken a new 
and perfectly unfamiliar appearance?" And again: " I have read 
somewhere that children between twelve and fourteen years of age — 
that is the transition stage from childhood to adolescence— are es- 
pecially apt to become murderers or incendiaries. When I recall my 
own adolescence (and the state of mind I was in one day) I can under- 
stand the incentive to the most dreadful crimes committed without 
aim or purpose, without any precise desire to harm others— done simply 
out of curiosity, out of an unconscious need of action. There are 
moments when' the future looks so gloomy that one fears to look for- 
ward to it." 

Much to the surprise of the family he became furiously angry one 
dav. After that he said : " I had a dim consciousness that I was lost 
forever. ... I thought there must be some reason, unknown to 
myself, why everybody hated me." " I am perhaps not the son of my 
father." This notion 'seemed even probable. It consoled him. He 
resolved to thank his father and depart, then sobbed at the idea. 

About seventeen, for a year, he was very solitary, thinking on the 
destiny of man, the next world and the immortality of the soul. It 
occurred to him that death was always at hand. He cast aside his 
lessons and spent the day lying on the bed, eating gingerbread bought 
with his last monej'. 

"I would fancy myself some great man, who had discovered new 
truths for the good of humanity," yet " was too bashful to meet com- 
mon people calmly." This illustrates how the emotional life awakens. 

" The virtuous thoughts which we had discussed had only pleased 
the mind, had not touched the feelings of my heart. The time came, 



50 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

however, when these thoughts returned to my mind with such fresh 
power of moral revelation that I took fright, thinking what an amount 
of time I had been wasting, and I resolved that very second to appl}'- 
these thoughts to actual life." 

Tolstoi had a deep religious experience at seventeen. He wept for 
joy over the new life. He had a period before twenty when he told 
" desperate lies," for which he could not account. About twenty he 
had a passion for music, and a little later for the French novel. (These 
scraps give but a faint idea. His adolescence should be read by all 
interested in this subject.) 

Rousseau had an unprecedented love of history at nine or ten. 
His emotions were very impetuous. Of himself at sixteen he writes : 
" I was very uneasy, discontented with self and everything else, weep- 
ing without cause, sighing I knew not why." 

Keats experienced a great change in his nature at fourteen. "Genius 
clouded his life and made him solitary." Mabie says of him : "There 
comes a time in the life of a boy of such gifts when the obscure stir- 
rings become more frequent and profound. The imagination no 
longer hints at its presence but begins to sound its mysterious and 
thrilling note in the soul. There is no other moment so wonderful as 
this first hour of awakening — this dawn of the beauty and wonder 
and mystery of the world on a nature that has been living only the 
glad unthinking life of the senses." "It came to Keats in his 
fifteenth year." "It came with that sudden hunger and thirst for 
knowledge which consume the days with desire as with a fire, and fill 
the young heart with passionate longing to drain the cup of experience 
at a draught." He was " at the morning hour when the whole world 
turns to gold." " The boy had suddenly become a poet." 

Chatterton was too proud to eat a gift dinner when nearly 
starved. He wrote good poetry at an early age, and suicided at seven- 
teen for lack of sympathy and appreciation. 

John Hunter was very dull and averse to study. About twenty his 
mind seemed to awake and he soon became an expert in anatomy. 

Wm. Jones reproduced " The Tempest" from memory at twelve. 

Patrick Henry when about fifteen "chose to pursue his sports alone 
rather than in company and would sit by the hour under the shade of 
a tree watching his line floating upon the quiet waters, the bait un- 
touched by a single fish." He woke up about twenty. 

Alex. Murray, at fifteen, in one and one-half years, acquired almost 
unaided the Latin, Greek, French and Hebrew languages and read 
several authors in each. 

Mr. Gifford (Pub. of Quart. Rev.) was restless and discontented be- 
cause he had nothing to read. He went to sea at 13. Bound out to a 
shoemaker, he beat leather smooth and with an awl worked late at 
night on algebra. At twenty he says : "I had a period of gloom and 
savage unsociability. By degrees I sank into a kind of corporeal torpor, 
or if roused into activity by the spirit of youth wasted the exertion in 
splenetic and vexatious tricks, which alienated the few acquaintances 
which compassion had yet left me." 

Rittenhouse at fourteen, when plowing, covered the fences with 
numerical figures. "He held the plow and thought of infinite time 
and space." " Every pebble and flower taught him a lesson." 

Benj. Thompson had a passion for sciences about fifteen. Fond of 
experiment. His fire-works exploded while he was trying to make 
them, and he was badly hurt. At seventeen he walked nine miles and 
back every day to attend philosophical lectures at Cambridge. At 
nineteen he married a widow of thirty-three. 

Franklin at twelve had a passion to go to sea. About thirteen he 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 5 1 

read poetry all night. He wrote verses and sold them on the streets 
of Boston. He doubted everything at fifteen. He had a wandering 
spirit and left home at seventeen. He started the first public library 
in Philadelphia before he was twenty-one. 

Robert Fulton was poor, dreamy, fond of nature, art and literature. 
He had a mercurial temperament. He determined to be a painter and 
showed talent, but gave it up for poetry. He left home at seventeen. 
He invented many valuable things besides making the steamboat. 

Samuel Bowles planned and started the Daily Springfield Republi- 
can at eighteen. 

Bryant was a very precocious boy. His health was poor till fourteen 
when he changed to permanent, good health. He was a devoted lover 
of nature and began to write poetry at nine. From twelve to fifteen 
he was deeply religious and prayed for poetic genius. He wrote 
Thanatopsis in his eighteenth year. 

Jefferson was passionately fond of nature and animals at fourteen. 
At seventeen he studied fifteen hours a day. 

Garfield, though living in Ohio, said : "Mother, you don't know 
how I long for the sea. I want to see something of the world." In 
after life the sight of a ship gave him a strange thrill. 

Hawthorne wrote poetry early. He had a passion for the sea. "I 
should like to sail on and on forever and never touch shore again." 
Of his life, about fifteen, he wrote : " How well I recall those summer 
days, when I roamed at will through the Maine woods. It was there 
I got my cursed habit of solitude." He was haunted with an idea that 
he would die before twenty-five. 

Ivowell was very fond of birds and flowers. 

"Dear common flower that growest beside the way. 

To look at thee unlocks a warmer clime. 
The eyes thou givcst me 

Are in the heart and heed not space or time." 

Peter Cooper was altruistic from eighteen to twenty, and said : " If I 
get rich, I '11 build a place where the poor boys and girls of New York 
may have an education free." He left home at seventeen. 

Whittier, at fourteen, saw a copy of Burns' poems, which excited him 
very much. " It changed the current of his life." 

Howells wrote an essay on human life at nine. He was on a news- 
paper from twelve to fourteen, and worked till ii p. M. and was up at 
4 A. M. to carry papers. About fifteen he saw Longfellow's poems. 
His soul was " filled with this new, strange sweetness." 

Aldrich describes his adolescence in his " Story of a Bad Boy." He 
had a museum of animals, a pet pony, and was a leader and hero among 
the boys. He published a volume of poems at eighteen. 

Holmes had a passion for certain flowers. He wrote poetry at fifteen. 
He said : "I have the most intense, passionate fondness for trees in 
general, and have had several romantic attachments to certain trees in 
particular. 

J. T. Trowbridge learned French, German and Latin without assist- 
ance before twenty-one. He read Scott, Byron and Moore, and longed 
to write. He composed as he held the plow, and slyly wrote it in the 
evening. 

Joseph Henry, at ten, followed a rabbit under the Public Library at 
Albany, and found a hole in the floor that admitted him to the shelves. 
He took down a book. It was a novel and excited his interest, and, un- 
known to everybody, he read all the fiction in the library. He suddenly 
stopped and began Physics, Astronomy and Chemistry. He developed 
a passion for sciences. He also had a passion for the stage and became 



52 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

an amateur actor. (He was afterwards President of the Smithsonian 
Institute.) 

J. C. Downey came from Ireland at fifteen. He went south at seven- 
teen, west at nineteen. " His mind was full of visions of broad acres." 
He settled at Los Angeles. 

H. H. Boyesen was deeply inspired by nature and thrilled by the 
idea that he was a Norseman. He had several hundred pigeons, a lot of 
rabbits and other animals. He loved to be in the woods at night. 
When the hour came to leave home for school, he was found, after a 
long search, with his arms around the neck of a calf, to which he was 
saying "good-by." He could not leave his pets. 

Maxwell, at sixteen, had a horror of destroying a leaf, flower, fly or 
anything. 

Jahn writes : "In early life there grew in my heart an inextinguish- 
able feeling for right and wrong — the subsequent cause of my inner weal 
and outer woe." 

Nansen's thoughts " were more to him than his dinner." He ate a 
bad egg while in a brown study. " Unstable in his studies." He was 
very fond of sciences at fifteen. His temperament was inflammable. 
He had deep longings, great courage and altruism. "While I was in 
my teens I used to pass weeks at a time alone in the forest. I disliked 
any equipments for my expeditions. I liked to live like Robinson 
Crusoe, up there in the wilderness." 

T. B. Read had a passion for reading from twelve to thirteen. He ran 
away at seventeen, painted, acted, and wrote poetry. He published a 
volume of poems at twenty-six. He became a successful painter in oils. 

Cartwright heard voices from the sky at sixteen — "Look above." 
" Thy sins are forgiven thee." 

Spencer suggests the loss of the emotional nature in speaking of his 
completed life-work. "Doubtless in earlier years some exaltation 
would have resulted, but as age creeps on feelings weaken and now my 
chief pleasure is in my emancipation." His early desire was to be a 
civil engineer. He entered on that career at seventeen after one idle 
year. He gave it up for lack of employment at twent5^-five and began 
his literarj^ work. He never went to school. He was for three years 
a private pupil of his uncle. 

Sir James Mackintosh was fond of history at eleven. He fancied 
that he was emperor of Constantinople. He loved solitude from his 
thirteenth year, wrote poetry at fourteen, fell in love at seventeen and 
began his literarj^ work at twenty-three. 

Thos. Buxton had a great love for dogs, horses and literature. He 
combined these by reading while riding on an old horse. At sixteen 
he loved a literary woman. It aroused all the latent powers of his 
mind. He resolved to do or die, and took thereafter every possible 
prize in school. 

Webster was fond of nature and solitude. At fourteen he could not 
rise to speak before the school. 

Scott began to like poetry at thirteen and forgot his dinner reading 
it. His father sent him to school to study law. He slyly kept poetry 
and novels in his desk. 

Newton was fond of solitude, and at thirteen introduced the paper 
kite. He tried farming at sixteen, but with no success. He wrote 
poetry in his teens. 

Pascal learned geometry at twelve, alone and contrary to his father's 
command. He wrote a treatise on conic sections at sixteen and invented 
his arithmetical machine at nineteen. 

Nelson went to sea at twelve. At fifteen he commanded a boat in 
peril. That same year he left the boat to fight a polar bear. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 53 

Joseph Banks, the great botanist, was idle and had no interest at 
thirteen. About fourteen, he was bathing with other school-boys, came 
out late, walked home alone and was so struck by the beauty of the 
flowers by the wayside that he at once started his great career. 

Montcalm and Wolf both distinguished themselves as leaders in 
battle at seventeen. 

LaFayette came to America at nineteen, thrilled with the idea of 
our bold strike for liberty. 

Gustavus Adolphus declared his majority at seventeen and soon was 
famous. 

Ida Lewis rescued four men in a boat at sixteen. 

Grace Darling, at twenty-two, rescued nine men, when others would 
not put out. 

Joan of Arc began at thirteen to have those "visions " which were 
the inspiration of her life. 

In making the above stud}' my attention was attracted to the 
early age at which actors won renown. I decided to study a 
hundred actors and compare them with a hundred of a different 
class. This proved so suggestive that the study was extended 
and the results are given below. 

The list of actors which we shall consider here includes the 
most famous that have appeared on the American and English 
stage in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The age 
when they made their debut, or at least showed to the world 
that they had remarkable talent, has been taken and shown 
graphically in the curve below. The average age of the first 
great success of these hundred actors is exactly 18 years. The 
range is 6 to 28 years. A few who were almost born on the 
stage, and who played before five years of age, are not recorded 
in this list. The endeavor has been to take those who were 
attracted to the stage voluntarily. However, a few were sons 
or daughters of actors and knew no other life. These at some 
time showed independent ability and that age is taken. Manj^ 
of them appeared as amateur actors long before they were rec- 
ognized as stars. 

A study of the curve shows at once that this talent is not an 
intellectual product but a matter of the feelings or emotions. 
In other words actors are born, not made. They inherit the 
necessary qualities. They reflect the emotional life of the 
age. Nearly one half of these were Irish or of Irish descent. 
England and Wales furnished most of the others. The pure 
American stock has furnished comparatively few great actors. 
We seem to be cold and unfeeling. It may be, however, that 
the American youth have had so many diversities that the emo- 
tions have been scattered along other lines. 

The curve shows that few make a success on the stage for the 
first time after 22. From 16 to 20 is the time to expect talent 
in this line. The second rise of the curve may apply to an- 
other distinct class of actors who act more from the intellectual 



54 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

and less from the emotional standpoint. The same may be 
noticed in the curve of poets and missionaries — a rise after the 
general fall. The long life of many actors, and the wealth of 
feeling displayed even to the last, shows that the emotional na- 
ture, if cultivated, need not be lost in later years, as it seems to 
be in many lives. 

I have placed on the same line with actors the curve of a 
hundred novelists. I took the age of the publication of their 
first story that met public approval. It is fair to compare it with 
the curve of actors, for their curve represents the first success. 

The difference is striking. One is a product of emotion, the 
other more of the intellect, or intellect touched by emotion. 
While 90 per cent, of actors were famous before 22, only 4 per 
cent, of novelists wrote acceptably at that age. This would 
indicate that the merel}^ emotional novel fails. Education, 
observation, and a close study of human life and character seem 
to be required to write successfully. The actor has the intel- 
lectual product before him. He must feel and interpret. 

Miss Porter, Miss Alcott and Miss Phelps are among the earli- 
est novelists. The list is taken mostly from American writers, 
for, so far as possible, I have chosen to stud}^ our own life and 
times. The curve is a poor one, for it needs a larger number 
of cases. The exact dates are given, however, so it is correct 
for this hundred cases. The dips mean only a lack of numbers. 
The average age of these writers at the time of publishing 
the first novel is 31.65 years. The range is 12 to 51 years. 

The next curve shows the time of publishing the first poem 
or volume of poems by 53 different poets. The curve is influ- 
enced by the fact that some did not publish till long after they 
had written well. It shows, however, that the emotional, ado- 
lescent quality enters much more into poetr}- than into the novel. 
The average age of first publication that showed talent is iS. i, 
thirteen years younger than the novelists. The range is 9 to 
5c. The 58 above noted in the 200 wrote poetr}^ at 15 on the 
average. None are included in his list of poets, for only a few 
of them were poets. All of these 53 wrote much earlier than 
18. The time of first publication is taken so as to compare it 
with novelists. 

With the curve of the poets I have placed a curve of 50 in- 
ventors, taking the age of their first patent. There is not 
much poetrj' or emotion apparently in inventions. It requires 
cool, intellectual work, touched by enthusiasm. The average 
age is 33.8. They range from 18 to 55. The younger ages are 
not associated with the most valuable patents. 

The next pair of curves show the greatest contrast. They 
are 100 musicians, mostly Europeans, and 100 American men 
from the three professions — law, medicine, and theology. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 55 

Musical talent cannot be compared with anything else in this 
study. At first it seems to be closely allied to poetry or art. 
I made the mistake at first of classing them together. They 
are totally different. Ole Bull at the age of three was filled 
with music. Others could be cited. The motor development 
necessary for expression needs to be gained and the musician is 
full-fledged. We must look back to the remote past to account 
for this talent of music. We find that animals are strangely 
affected by music, some agreeably, others not so. Savage 
tribes are peculiarly susceptible to the rhythm of music. There 
has been developed somewhere in our history a deep response 
to the elements of music. It may be that the high musical 
art of to-day is an adaptation of this primitive quality to the 
culture and intelligence of the age. The young musician is 
often from a family of no musical talent. He seems to have 
developed to a wonderful degree the musical germ which is 
latent in us all. 

The age of first showing rare musical talent is not easily found 
in biography. This list has been verified from different sources 
of information, where it was accessible, and the result is approxi- 
mately correct. lyike all the curves, it does not pretend for a 
moment to be absolutely exact. A much larger number would 
fill up the dips and make minor changes. I doubt if the general 
character of any of these curves would be greatly modified. 
The dips mean nothing. There is a tendency in biographies to 
avoid certain odd numbers, especially 19, as these curves will 
show. A general, continuously curved line should be thrown 
over these cutting the points and passing above the hollows. 

The average age of these 100 musicians at the time when 
they first showed remarkable talent is 9.92 years. The range 
is 9 to 20. Only about one-half of them had musical parents, 
so far as the record shows. 95 per cent, showed rare talent 
before 16. 

The age of 100 professional men when graduating from the 
professional school, is 24. 1 1 on the average. As these were 
men of the preceding generation, the age is earlier l.y two years, 
probably, than of men who graduate to-day. Ten 3-ears should 
be added, without doubt, to this average to mark the point of 
recognized success. This would place them close to the novel- 
ists and inventors. The professional men were all men of re- 
nown. In all but a few instances the}^ were college educated. 
Only 8 per cent, began their professional work before 21. 

The next curve shows the age of the development of the 
artistic ability. 53 artists were taken, mostly American. 90 
per cent, of them showed talent by 20. The average age is 
17.2. The range is 6 to 30. 50 fail between 10 and 23 years. 
The curve is very close to that of poets in time of development. 



56 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

They seem to be different ways of expressing similar emotions. 
Many of the poets in this list were artists, and many artists 
were poets. 

With that may be seen the curve of 50 missionaries. It 
represents the time of departure to the field of service. The 
curve is not so significant as the ' ' Student Volunteer ' ' move- 
ment and the Christian Endeavor. These show the enthusiasm 
and the altruistic, self-sacrificing, religious zeal of adolescence 
in a remarkable way. The Y. P. S. C. E. would make a valu- 
able study in adolescence. 

The next curve represents graphically the ages when 100 
pioneers, who have made their mark on the civilization of the 
far west, left their parents and home to seek a fortune amid the 
dangers and hardships of the unknown land beyond the Missouri 
River. We get its import only when we consider what it meant 
sixty years ago to cross the prairies in ' ' schooners, ' ' in constant 
danger from Indians, fires, etc. , into an unknown and barren 
tract. Yet we find these boys leaving home at 17.6 years on 
the average. The range is 10 to 26 years. 

The last curve is that of 118 scientists. So far as possible I 
have taken the age when their life interest first began to glow. 
It has been hard to determine this exactly. I suspect that in 
man}^ cases the real age is a few 3'ears younger than I have in- 
dicated. The dips in this curve, especially, are not significant. 
1 8 of these are taken a second time from the list of 200, but 
used here because they helped fill the dips of the curve of 100. 
They did not change the general outline. The average age is 
18.93 years. The range is 10 to 30 years. 

These curves easily fall into two classes, the emotional and 
the intellectual. The actors, poets, artists, pioneers and .scien- 
tists — i. e., the beginning of the scientific enthusiasm — represent 
one class which shows very clearly the emotional enthusiasm of 
adolescence. 

The writers, inventors and professional men, although, per- 
haps, showing enthusiasm or emotion, win their success more 
in the realm of the intellect. The curves of the first class cul- 
minate at 18 to 20 years. The second between 30 and 40. 

Of course the mature poet and scientist combine in a rare 
way emotion and intellect. Neither can be totally wanting in 
any successful life, 5^et these curves plainly show that the one 
predominates at certain times and the other at other times. 
The tendency seems to be for the emotion to ripen into the 
more intellectual phase. It seems to be a universal fact that 
intellect grows out of the emotion. Feeling, knowing, willing, 
is the order. 



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I can but feel that these Hves teach a tremendous lesson. 
They show, to me at least, that a well balanced, healthy, well 
bred, fine grained nervous organism will very likely have deep 
and fluctuating interests or enthusiasms. 

Instead of the regular repression now almost univer.salh- 
practiced toward what many may be pleased to call a craze or 
5 



58 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

fad, these should be encouraged. The boy or girl should be 
pushed into them, and the glow should be turned, if possible, 
to a white heat. There is no danger of a shallow, fluctuating 
nature as a result. The very opposite will be true. The well- 
poised man of many sides, who, although a specialist, sees the 
value and bearing of all other branches of knowledge on his 
own subject, cannot well result from anything else. To repress 
or discourage such tendencies limits our horizon at once. It 
never should be done. 

See the boy Edison as he begins to read through the Detroit 
Free Library. Fifteen solid feet of the task completed with all 
the eagerness of a hound in the heat of the chase. It means a 
great brain. It is necessary to burn out these minor interests, 
touch the farthest point on this, that and every side. That 
gives the basis for magnificent productivities. They will be 
useful because the man has touched the bounds of life. He 
commands the whole range. The same is true in the case of 
Joseph Henry or any of those cited above. They are all normal 
and healthy. 

On the other hand a deep, silent, moody, lost condition of 
mind may prevail. Patrick Henry is a case in point. Some of 
the best minds have shown that dreamy, absent-minded quality 
that may mean that the boy or girl has awakened to a world of 
thought so vast that the mind wanders to find a basis for activity. 
They need encouragement. A rope should be given them that 
is tied to a most vital or self-sacrificing cause. 

In a word, the flip, or blase type is a bad sign. The brown 
study, or the deep and passionate interest type is promising. 
A round, full adolescence, with a rich religious experience, is 
the promise of a great life. 



PSYCHOI.OGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 59 



CHAPTER III. 

Conclusions. 

This study of adolescence has a two-fold bearing. It is im- 
portant from the standpoint of psychology and has a very prac- 
tical and valuable suggestion for pedagogy. It is not always 
easy to separate the psychological from the pedagogical, but 
this distinction will be made here for convenience. 

Psychology. 

I. The period of adolescence is the focal point of all psy- 
chology. ^ 

However we may look upon the origin of the human intellect, 
whether from an evolutionary standpoint or otherwise, it is 
easy to conceive that mind as such awoke to self-consciousness 
at the adolescent period of the first man. Adam and Eve were 
evidently in the adolescent period when they awoke to self- 
consciousness. 

The spirit of rebellion against authority and the whole account 
of the later scene in the garden is typical adolescent psycholo- 
gy. If we take man as an evolution, we must think of him as 
coming to self-consciousness in this period of life when the 
pendulum swings farthest and there is the greatest ferment 
known in the individual history. In other words adolescence 
is the time of the soul's awakening both in the race and in the 
individual. From this first awakening, mind has pushed up to 
full rational self-consciousness and then directed its attention 
backward over the path of its development to pre-adolescent 
stages, including not only the psychology of childhood but of 
animal life down to the lowest traces of intelligent activities. 

Adult psychology begins in the adolescent period and child 
psychology with its hereditary influences ends here. 

To understand the human mind in later life the adolescence 
must be studied to find what stages of development have been 
passed through and in what stages the development has been 

1 President Hall, speaking of education, has said : "I think we may 
say, anthropologically, that it (puberty) is the period when education 
as a conscious, special, or public function began, and that has slowly 
developed as civilization has advanced, downward to the kindergarten 
and . . . upward toward an ever-increasing maturity of postgraduate 
work." Forum, May, 1894, p. 303. See also pp. 301-307. 



6o PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

arrested. It is, then, the period on which the study of the 
psychology of the individual should focus. 

II. The characteristics of the psychology of adolescence are, 
for the most part, distinct. The length of the period is in- 
definite. It varies with each individual. 

The most prominent feature of adolescence is the emotional 
life. The emotions are not confined to the years lo to 25, but 
they are much farther beneath the surface in later life, and 
can be awakened to expression only by different or stronger 
stimuli. The emotional nature seems to mature rapidly and 
nearly reach its maximum before the intellectual or rational 
side, if they may be separated, has developed. This gives pre- 
ponderance to the emotions and characterizes the period. 

The moods normally are strongest and most fluctuating during 
adolescence. Despondency, spontaneous joy, love, hate, sel- 
fishness, generosity, sloth and energy of both mind and body, 
all very intense in degree, are strictly adolescent phenomena. 
They are normally outgrown unless development is arrested. 

The growth of the ethical nature and the deep, broad, intel- 
lectual interests root in the emotional life of adolescence. If 
the instinct emotions are properly guided, they will pass over 
into permanent intellectual interests. 

III. The mind, including all psychic life, grows by sections. 
The interest may center in prize-fights or foot-ball one year, 
and the next in aesthetic cultvire. The musical side may absorb 
the energy for a time to pass and be forgotten. The growth 
of the mind may be compared to a circle which enlarges by 
extending one sector at a time out to a new circumference. 

These absorbing and diverse interests may be compared to 
separate sectors which push out to reach their final limit. The 
circumference or final intellectual horizon of adult life is deter- 
mined, therefore, by the intensity of these interests and the 
extent to which they are pushed. Many interests enthusiasti- 
cally cultivated mean a wide intellectual horizon. 

IV. The discussion can hardly be laid aside without a sug- 
gestion as to the cause of these adolescent phenomena. The 
idea is often advanced that the development of the reproductorj^ 
function on the physical side causes these mental phenomena. 
The present study suggests a different view. 

It is true that the curves of most of these phenomena cul- 
minate within a year or two of the time of puberty. But 
some of the strongest adolescent emotions are reported by 
many individuals as occurring years before or years after 
puberty. ^ 

' After writing the above another case was reported by a young man 
possessing a strong, active, but very calm and philosophic mind, who 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 6 1 

The strongest adolescent symptoms are found in the most 
highly developed organisms which are farthest removed from 
the physical or brute nature, and where reproductory power 
is often very weak. 

Dr. Scott ^ showed the relation between sex and art and 
took the position that art is an irradiation of sex. It might 
well be shown that there is a similar relation between sex and 
other things. There are many irradiations of sex. School and 
college life is one. Sex does not cause art any more than sex 
causes intellectual ability, but both draw their vitality from a 
common fountain, and when one draws more than its share the 
other suffers. 

Adolescent phenomena sometimes appear with all their in- 
tensity in old age. This is not necessarily a recurrence or a 
retraversing of the neural paths or channels cut in adolescence, 
for one person, who has been carefully studied, has passed 
through an entirely new set of emotions in his senile adoles- 
cence which were unknown to him when a young man. In 
this particular case the sex element was very strong in youth, 
and the mental adolescence not marked by great fluctuations. 
After 70 years of age a very intense mental adolescence devel- 
oped with vivid religious experiences unknown in earlier life. 

The adolescent interests seem to depend on the size and quality 
of the brain in direct ratio, and are inversely proportional to 
the growth and vitality centering in the reproductive organs. 
That is, precocious and abnormal use of the reproductive func- 
tion destroys mental adolescence, with its many sided interests, 
faster than anything else. 

It is true that depression and a desire for solitude, and pos- 
sibly other similar phenomena, may accompany such degenerate 
use of this function, but they are of a very different kind from 
the normal adolescent love of solitude and passing moods of 
depression. The final reason for my inability to believe that 
sex is the cause, is the fact that eunuchs have the same adoles- 
cent symptoms as others. "^ 

had a religious storm and stress period between 8 and 10 years of age, 
and about the same time had these spells of elation and depression. 
He was not precocious physically. He is very stout, with dark hair 
and eyes, with phlegmatic tendency. 

1 Colin A. Scott, "Sex and Art," American Journal of Psychology, 
1896. 

2 The following letter is from a professor in a well-known college 
in New England, who has spent years in the East and has made a 
special study of the eunuch. The Nubian eunuch is as nearly desexed 
as possible, and that in infancy. 

" There is no question that castration at an early age does in various 
ways modify physical development, though I do not think it modifies 
it so much as is commonly supposed. I have seen Nubians, eunuchs, 



62 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

I have also found several cases of phimosis, which arrested 
all growth of the organs, but did not apparently affect in the 
least the mental adolescence. The effect of castration on an- 
imals, arrests development of organs of combat and makes other 
changes. We cannot argue here from animals to man. Man 
learned long ago to rely on brain more than brawn. Castration 
or arrested development does not make changes in man which 
are comparable to the changes made in animals. 

The physical change of features at this time suggests another 
reason for these adolescent phenomena. They indicate a change 
of hereditary influences. From the moment that the spermato- 
zoon unites with the ovum there is a conflict of hereditary in- 
fluences between the two, that the life contained in each may 
assert and express itself. Common observation shows that this 
conflict of these microscopic elements, even in the closed apart- 
ment, with all nervous connections to the rest of the bodj^ as 
yet undeveloped, is so violent as to cause a disturbance of the 
sympathetic and vaso-motor systems. ^ 

The fact that the type not only of features but also of family 
characteristics may change at adolescence, shows that these 
forces are still prominent and are struggling now in final conflict 
for the mastery and the opportunity of self-expression. This 
war of prepotencies, which causes or results in changed external 
features, is sufficient ground for the occasion of the adolescent 
mental phenomena. It is not the cause. It is also the occasion 
of the later development of the sex organs peculiar to the 

and Nubians, non-eunuchs, together, and in every physical feature 
they resembled each other. The difference most likely to be observed 
was in the voice. Castration does produce an immense effect, though 
an indirect one, upon the character. It is not the operation in itself, 
but its effects upon the mind. The mind broods over the fact that the 
body is reproductively impotent and is filled with morbid resentment 
and jealousy. No other physical deformity can so far distort and devil- 
ize the character. As far as I can judge, sex feelings exist unmodified 
by absence of the sexual organs. The eunuch differs from the man, 
not in the absence of sexual passion, but only in the fact that he 
cannot fully gratify it. As far as he can approach a gratification of it, 
he does so. Often, maddened by sense of impotence, he wreaks ven- 
geance on the irresponsible object of which he is enamored 

The eunuchs have all the adolescent phenomena. I have watched, for 
example, boy-eunuchs of ten or eleven years, possibly younger. Early 
conscious as they are of their desexed condition, there was nothing ap- 
parent in their moods or pleasures different from other children of 
their race. They took the same delight in a perfume or a flower, or a 
pretty baby, as any other boy of their race would have done. The little 
eunuch is more inclined to solitude than almost any Western child, but 
perhaps no more than his compatriots. As to rebelling against author- 
ity, I have more than once seen a diminutive eunuch do that." 

' This would indicate that the protoplasmic conditions of interaction 
of parts is not entirely lost in the differentiated organism. The proto- 
plasmic communication is intermolecular. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 63 

individual which will verj- likely be characteristic of the parent 
or family which he resembles in mental and physical character- 
istics. The cause must lie much farther back in the, as yet, un- 
known forces of life itself. When we know what life is, and 
where differentiations begin, we may speak of the cause of adoles- 
cent phenomena. 

Pedagogy. 

I. Sex Hygiene. A woman reports three* daughters. The 
oldest had her first sickness one month before 15. The next, 19 
months younger, learning this phenomenon from her sister, 
followed in three months. The other sister, who was 11.5 
years of age, followed in six months. A girl, 1 1 years old, 
ver\' small and not precocious, was told what to expect, her 
mother not thinking it would occur for years. In a short time 
the daughter came to puberty. Another girl, verified b}^ her 
mother, reports the power to control the menses. She can put 
it off a week at will. The question arises as to the possibility 
of precipitating the menses by suggestion. It is probable. 

Pedagogy demands, then, that we do not wait till near the 
normal time, lest the instruction direct the attention, increase 
the circulation, and cause unfortunate precipitation. On the 
other hand several cases are reported where girls knew nothing 
of it, were ashamed to tell, bathed in cold water, with the 
result that one was thrown into spasms, causing insanity, that 
was only outgrown after the reproductory period. Another was 
rendered insane in a similar way. A third went into spasms 
which resulted in death. Other similar cases are reported. 
The information could be given in many different ways that 
would not demand any alarming predicament for the parent 
whose false modesty is so criminally superior to his or her sense. 
It is cruel and barbarous to neglect this instruction. ^ 

A woman said in substance : When in the High School it 
was terrible for me, when unwell, to ascend the long flights of 
stairs to chapel. I asked the principal to excuse me, sometimes. 
He asked, why? Of course I dared not tell him, so went, but 
often nearly fainted from the terrible pain caused by the ascent. 
She explained that she had a broad pelvis, and the bowels 
pressed down on the uterus, especially in ascending stairs. 

A girl reports suffering and fainting from a similar cause. 

Teachers should heed this warning. It would be worth more 
to our girls if some of the ornaments of the school building 
were omitted and an elevator provided. It is a fact not suffi- 

^ See E. H. Clarke, "Sex in Education." See also Antoinette Brown 
Blackwell, " Sexes throughout Nature," pp. 138-148 and p. 158. Also 
Westyninster Review, 142; 315-318. Excellent on what girls ought to 
know. 



64 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

ciently recognized that a girl who is well shaped and developed 
for motherhood, finds it very difiicult to ascend stairs when un- 
well. It is not only wrong, but dangerous to physical and 
mental health to oblige them to do it. 

Women writers have done harm by saying that a woman can 
do all that a man can do. A few of a masculine type may be 
able to, others would endanger their physical and mental health 
if they attempted it. 

The hygienic treatment of boys at adolescence has been al- 
most criminally neglected. It may be quite as injurious to a 
boy as to a girl to arrive at puberty with no knowledge of 
normal, healthy symptoms. The simple matter of night emis- 
sions, which are likely to happen an)^ time after puberty, though 
perfectly harmless in themselves generally, cause fears and lead 
to the very worst evils, such as despondency, imaginary disease, 
suicide, or a plunge into the worst depths of social life. 

Knowing that the young men write confidential letters about 
themselves to medical companies, I wrote to several such com- 
panies asking to read a few of those letters from the young 
people. They all replied that the letters received never under 
any circumstances passed out of their hands. Later I found 
two large letter brokers in one city, who had bought from 
medical companies, letters which had been written by young 
people, under a guarantee of confidential treatment, or by older 
people suffering some private ill, imaginary or otherwise. These 
letters are sold by the thousand, collected by brokers who rent 
or sell them to parties for copying purposes. One broker gave 
me his amount of letters in stock. He has 705,000 ' ' medical ' ' 
letters referred to above, 1,800,000 "agents" letters, 275,000 
"matrimonial" letters, 300,000 to 400,000 "novelty" letters, 
making a total of over 3,000,000 letters in stock. 

I had in my possession recently a thousand letters, mostly 
written by young people, and sold by these "doctors" or 
medical companies. It presents to view a sad feature of our 
social life. The people who wrote the letters were all duped 
by these quacks, who advertise to cure what they describe in 
their books as symptoms of syphilis and other terrible diseases, 
but which are mostly only symptoms of good health. Their 
prices of treatment are outrageous. One boy had paid nearly 
a thousand dollars for treatment. He gives his symptoms care- 
fully and they are perfectly normal. The common ill is night 
emissions. 

Some of these letters were written by teachers, ministers, 
superintendents of schools, and women, who wanted confidential 
advice. The signatures and addresses were all left on the 
letters. 

It is a matter that ought to receive State and national legis- 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 65 

lation. But above all our young people ought to be instructed 
about sex matters. 

One boy had run away from a good home because he had been 
led to believe that he had an incurable disease. His case was per- 
fectly normal. He had read their fiendish literature, was 
frightened, and dared not talk with his father about sex matters. 
Another boy said : "I have occasional night emissions. I am 
poor, but would pay $500 rather than drift on to the destiny 
that awaits me if I continue in this way." 

Another : " Enclosed $12. One night emission last month. 
Have had three packages of medicine. Think one more will 
cure me." (He had paid $36 before.) The letters are varia- 
tions of these with details not to be given here. They show 
that a dreadful burden of anxiety rests on the young men who 
are constantly plunged deeper and deeper into despair by these 
medical companies and ' ' doctors ' ' who advertise to cure such 
troubles. Their literature can be had by answering advertise- 
ments in local papers. This is not a light matter. It strikes 
at the very foundation of our moral life. It deals with the 
reproductory part of our natures and must have a deep hered- 
itary influence. It is a natural result of the foolish, false 
modesty shown by the American people regarding all sex instruc- 
tion. Every boy should be taught the simple physiological 
facts before his life is forever blighted by this curse. 

II. Disease and Moods. The power of recovery from disease 
at this period is a tremendous fact. The change of nature 
brought about by change of ancestral influences often causes an 
entire renovation of the physical system, and diseases which 
existed at least in symptoms may be entirely outgrown. 

Despondency at this period demands sympathetic treatment. 
It is entirely wrong that so many of our young people are 
meditating suicide. From their own statement it is because 
they do not receive recognition and sympathy. They have 
sprung full-armed into manhood and womanhood in their own 
feelings, while in dress and treatment they are often forced to 
remain children. The boy or girl at puberty demands all the 
recognition that any adult deserves and a greater wealth of 
sympathy. The wise teacher will not disregard the feelings of 
adolescents. 

It is an open question whether the boy or girl should be urged 
to work when under the spell of either laziness or great activity. 
The forces are being accumulated, anabolism goes on when one 
feels dull, while energy is expended and katabolism is rapid 
when one feels energetic and must have activity. Each in- 
dividual must be studied, fatigue noticed and the work meted 
out in a way to do the least harm. 

We must consider that habits of work will be formed and 



66 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

an endeavor to sustain periods of labor will necessitate, possibly, 
a levelling of these positive and negative moods. 

III. Ideals. The universal possession of ideals affords an 
excellent opportunity for the educator. There are different 
stages. The period is one when command should give place to 
the presentation of an ideal, and an ideal adapted to the age 
and interest of the youth. In earl}^ adolescence there needs to 
be something heroic or self-sacrificing in the ideal. 

IV. Artistic hnpidses. The pedagogic question arises re- 
garding the impulse to study art or music. It should be treated 
sympathetically and encouraged, but the most unfortunate thing 
that could happen would be to specialize in these branches. If 
great talent in music exist it will be apparent before this period, 
and artistic ability of a high order will show itself as such by 
the time of puberty. Real talent for either art or music will 
come to the front anyway. If it does not exist, it would be 
most unfortunate to launch the pupil into an artistic, musical 
or literary career. When talent does exist it should be kept 
back and culture should be broadened and deepened lest that 
side of the nature develop at the expense of everything else, 
and in order that the specialty may root ultimately in a rich and 
cultured nature. Special high schools, therefore, would be peda- 
gogical monstrosities. 

V. Natiiral Science. The great love of nature, compared 
with the distaste for science existing in the same individuals, is 
a blow at the present methods of killing scientific interests by 
the text-book method of instruction. 640 were lovers of some 
form of nature, while only 290 of the same individuals liked 
any one science. This love of nature should be utilized to 
develop the scientific spirit in the pupil. 

VI. biterests. The enthusiastic interests of adolescence de- 
mand a pedagogical suggestion. The high blood pressure, the 
mental and ph5'sical ferment, and the potentialities or uncon- 
scious forces struggling for conscious realization, demand ex- 
citement or violent expenditure of energy at times. 

"Excitement young men must have, which, like a breeze 
swelling new sails, brings the new nerve tissue and faculties into 
activity without which they atroph5\ If there is no enthusiasm, 
deep and strong interests in intellectual and moral fields, pas- 
sion is stronger. The two are physiological or kinetic equiva- 
lents. "^ 

A healthy, normal boy must do something. Athletic, scien- 
tific, literary, or artistic interests, or plenty of hard work, is a 
necessit)^ to keep the physical and mental life pure, healthy 
and growing. 

^ President Hall, Forum, December, 1893: pp. 439, 440. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 67 

The enthusiasms of college life develop the college student 
and make him superior to one who has had no enthusiastic 
interests during his adolescence. It is especially noticeable in 
boys entering college from the large fitting schools when com- 
pared with boys from schools where there has been little except 
the text-book work necessary for preparation. The wildest 
celebrations of victories may do the boys as much good as a 
long, period of quiet study. Of course this enthusiasm must 
spend itself in moral ways as a laudable outburst of V esprit du 
corps, or it may be as injurious as it otherwise would be bene- 
ficial. If these outlets of energy are denied, immoral gratifica- 
tion of desire will very likely result. The aim of education at 
this time should be, therefore, to make the most of these interests 
which are harmless in themselves and not likely to become per- i 
manent, to prepare the way for a greater interest in the higher ' 
religious and moral sphere and the intellectual interests which 
are to become permanent. 

The pedagogy of adolescence may be summed up in one 
sentence. Inspire enthusiastic activity. Hopeless is the young^^ 
man who has no interest. Even a low interest pushed to the .-- 
extreme will give place to a higher. The best in human nature 
can be brought out by making the most of these stages of 
development, each in its turn. 

VII. Facial Expressio7i. The features and countenance are 
the best indices of character and disposition. If these change 
radically we may look for a change in character, which will 
necessitate a change in treatment or injury will result. Just 
here may be the taproot of so many conflicts, runaways, and 
sullen, ruined, desperate lives. Many a life tragedy starts with 
the misunderstanding of the boy or girl at adolescence. 

VIII. Religion. It is the natural time for the growth of 
the religious emotions, which are the only basis of a healthy, 
moral nature. Aside from all relations to a future life, the reli- 
gious emotions should be regarded as the most valuable of all 
for immediate results in character. The new birth is no myth, 
but a fact, admitted by science as well as the church. Religion 
does not mean subscription to any particular creed. This mis- 
take has been made. The Christian Endeavor movement 
is a great witness to the fact that religion without particular 
denominational creeds meets the needs of young people. If the 
religious emotions are thus cultivated until they are established, 
the particular forms will adjust themselves with little harm to 
the individual. 

The worst thing that can happen is early forcing of the reli- 
gious emotion and the subsequent relapse. The religious feeling 
often comes in waves of increasing intensity. The first may 
appear in very early childhood, but they reach their maximum 




019 822 241 • 

68 PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY OF ADOLESCENCE. 

about 1 6 with the average person. At least i6 is about the 
average age of conversion for the 6oo who answered this question. 
Each religious wave should be treated sympathetically, but 
public expression of any particular belief should not be urged 
before 15 to 20. We should hardly advise marriage when 
young persons speak for the first time of admiration for each 
other. It is too sacred a relation. The religious life is far 
more fundamental in character and more sacred in its relation. 
Early acceptance of God or Jesus will be urged with extreme 
discretion by all wise, religious teachers, until the religious nature 
has been cultivated by a general development of the religious 
emotions. A study of the cases given under the love of nature 
will suggest the best method of development. After the nature 
stage, present the ideal. Hold up noble, religious lives, and let 
the suggestion leaven the whole nature. 

Religion must not be neglected. The welfare of the family 
and the State depend upon it as much as the interests of the 
individual soul. Doubts and intellectual questions should all 
be put off till a later period. The emotional side of religion 
should dominate childhood and adolescence. It is not the age 
when fear appeals to one. Adolescents will sacrifice and perform 
duty for the Master as at no other time in life. Instruction 
should take the form of an appeal to free, spontaneous loyalty 
to the King, and Jesus should be presented as the ideal, heroic 
God-man. His self-sacrifice and self-denial, his suffering and 
passion may be taught with the assurance that they will appeal 
most strongly to the soul-life of the adolescent. 

Details of school organization and management, and curricula 
best suited to adolescents naturally belong to this study. The 
writer has made such a study and may embody the results in 
another paper. 



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